Becoming Tabitha
by Alucino
Summary: This story deals with the difficulties Tabitha has to endure being a teenage witch growing up in a mortal world. Also it’s about Sam trying to accept distressing messages from the council; all the while she desperately wants to help her troubled daughter
1. Chapter 1

**Becoming Tabitha **

**Chapter One**

Tabitha looked down in the ground as she with heavy steps was walking home from school. As she turned to her home street she automatically raised her eyes and as the house that she had called her home for her whole life came into view, she felt her steps getting heavier and she sighed loudly. She didn't know why, but recently she had developed a strange reluctance of being at home and as soon as she reached the house after school she felt the strange knot in her stomach, that knot that now was becoming so familiar. But still it wasn't her home that was the problem. She felt reluctant spending time at school as well. She felt hopeless and depressed basically everywhere and she couldn't understand why. And what was more was that recently she felt as if she really didn't care. She didn't care about anything any longer. Not even her studies felt important anymore. She had always been very hard-working in school and for a very long time she had been one of the top students. And that wasn't strange. In the past she had always liked school and even in her free time she had often been wrapped up in a book either staying around in school or the library, really feeling at her most when she learned things. But lately her studies somehow seemed pointless. It felt as if her efforts and interest didn't mean anything or that something essential was missing. She sighed tiredly and felt the heavy school bag press even more heavily against her shoulder.

Not too aware of her surrounding, she suddenly jerked when noticing loud laughs across the street. She looked up and saw a couple of high-spirited teens walking by on the other side of the street, chatting happily. She recognized them immediately. They had for several years been quite good friends to her, but now she instead knew them mostly as some of her little brother's many friends. Ever since they were little Tabitha and Adam had been close, and as they grew up it was natural that they shared many of the same friends. But lately, Tabitha had not only slipped away from Adam but also from most of their friends, feeling as if she didn't have anything in common with them anymore and that she didn't really belong. First she thought she would miss them, but she'd quickly realized that she didn't mind that much at all. She figured that it just couldn't be helped, and accepted that. Because she was much more rather alone where she could be herself than spent time with people she didn't like being with and in company where she was forced to be someone else. Because that was the type of situation it had become, and it had been unbearable.

As the group of people noticed Tabitha on the other side of the street, they slowed down their pace and cheerfully called out their hellos, welcoming her to join them. Even if they lately mostly just politely greeted each other when they met like this, in school or when they visited Adam, Tabitha knew that some of them were still a bit confused of Tabitha's odd desertion from their company and in vain tried to rejoin her with them.

Not at all being in the mood for chit chat, she forced a smile and waved politely, calling back that she didn't have time. As she noticed that they let her be, Tabitha let her strained smile fade as her previous feeling of hopelessness washed back over her. She kicked a stone indifferently, and as she did she felt a small piece of plastic in her jeans pocket. Automatically she started fingering the plectrum and suddenly she felt a glimpse of joy. In the absence of her former friends Tabitha had of some reason turned an increasing interest in music, more specifically different kinds of rock music. When she wasn't focusing on her studies, that still was important to her even if she had lost most interest, Tabitha spent all her time listening to music and recently she had also started playing the guitar. Much to Tabitha's surprise she had managed to persuade her parents to buy her an electric guitar for her birthday last year and ever since she practised as much as possible and now she thought that she was actually becoming rather good. The progress made her dedicate even more time to it and now it was only when she spent time with her music that she felt somewhat happy. But despite the recess Tabitha had found in her music, her parents didn't hide the fact that they disapproved, even though that they were the one buying the guitar in the first place. Tabitha did realized that the loud and original music as well as Tabitha's new controversial appearance that somehow came with the music, was a bit different from what her parents were used to, but they had no right to criticize. If anything they should be happy for her. Because Tabitha knew her depressed mood worried them and since she now finally had found something that she really enjoyed, they should be pleased. Instead they seemed even more worried and almost blamed her melancholy on her music interest, and it annoyed her enormously. In fact her parents seemed to annoy her with whatever they did.

She kicked another stone, just as indifferently as the previous one, and as she reached her home, she could see her mother raking away some leaves from the front lawn.

"Hi sweetheart," Samantha cheerfully said noticing that her daughter was home. "How was your day?"

Not feeling up to talk to her mother either Tabitha didn't care to slow down, as she shrugged her shoulders and said indifferently, "All right..."

Samantha couldn't help but feeling a bit concerned seeing her daughter so apathetic. Especially since that was how she mostly saw her daughter lately, apathetic or depressed: one or the other.

Wanting to cheer her up Samantha happily said, as she put away the rake, "Your father won't be home until late, so I and Adam figured that the three of us could go out and grab some pizza and maybe go to the movies. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Hearing that her mother kept on talking Tabitha sighed and stopped walking. She shook her head dreary, "nah, I'm all right. I think I'll just stay home studying."

"But it's Friday night…," Samantha protested disappointedly, feeling the concern rise again.

She would gladly understand if Tabitha had other plans with her friends this Friday night, but to sit around at home all alone, worried Samantha indeed. It did not only seem as if Tabitha never did anything fun anymore, but also it seemed as if she'd become a bit of a loner. She was rarely out with other people in her age and when Adam's and her friends came over Tabitha didn't seem to be like 'one in the gang' anymore, as she once was. Instead she kept to herself studying. Even if both Samantha and Darrin always had been very proud of Tabitha's well school result, they both started wondering if she took school a little bit too serious. Because maybe it was her ambitious studying that interfered with her social life, causing her to be so lonely and sad.

She looked at Tabitha pleadingly, hoping she would change her mind anyway.

"Yeah well, I have tons of schoolwork to do until Monday," Tabitha defended herself plainly, even if she knew that wasn't completely true. She just wasn't in the mood of going out, but not wanting her mother to fret she said, forcing herself to sound a bit less blue, "But I don't mind. Really, I don't."

Samantha sighed silently, not really being surprised that Tabitha came up with an excuse. Because it was not only her friends she didn't spend any time with anymore but it was obvious she always did her best not to spend any time with her family either. She never joined the rest of them when they were doing something fun or let herself have a good time with them when they were all together at dinner or while watching TV or playing a game. She didn't even spent any time with Adam anymore, as they had done when they were younger. She looked back at her daughter, who now was on her way inside. Not really being ready to give up just yet, Samantha reached out her hand to Tabitha, stopping her from going inside. "Tabitha?" she asked with an obvious worry in her voice. "Are you all right?"

"Sure," Tabitha said, even forcing a smile, although not a very convincing one, not really being up to her mother's fuss about her mood, as so many times before.

Samantha sighed disappointedly, recognizing Tabitha's façade all too well. "Wouldn't you come with us anyway? Maybe it would cheer you up," Samantha tried again.

"I said I was fine," Tabitha said, now starting to get impatiently.

"But school work can wait until tomorrow, can't it?"

"No, it can't," Tabitha answered a little bit too surly.

Samantha sighed and looked anxiously at her daughter, hoping in vain Tabitha could understand that she was only trying to help, "But Tabitha you really have to take a day off sometime. I or your father can help you with your school work this weekend and…"

But before she could continue Tabitha huffily cut her off, "can't you just drop it? I'm not coming with you!" And with that she turned around and went inside, leaving her worried mother behind.

Samantha sighed deeply. Even if Tabitha as a child had been a bit of a handful with her defiant use of witchcraft, Tabitha had never really caused Samantha and Darrin any worries, at least not since she stopped using her powers, now many years ago. A long with her well school result she had always helped out around the house and never really caused any trouble. But now not a day went by when Samantha didn't worry about their daughter, who really wasn't herself anymore. If she wasn't depressed or indifferent she was surly or fierce, and neither was consoling to Samantha. She wanted nothing but to help her daughter with whatever trouble she was having, but as soon as Samantha or Darrin tried to talk to her about it, or something else for that matter, she shut herself up like a clamshell or just glared at them, complaining that they didn't understand. She had become completely unreachable for them and, what it seemed, for everyone else. And it distressed Samantha greatly. The only thing that somehow seemed to get to Tabitha, beside her studies, was that strange music she had gotten a big interest in. But that didn't exactly comfort Samantha, more the opposite. Because the influence it no doubt had on their daughter could doubtless be of any good. The aggressive and hardcore sound could make anyone depressed, Samantha thought and she feared it would only bring Tabitha to become even more miserable. Furthermore, it was without a doubt the music that had turned their otherwise very neat daughter, to now keep a most untidy appearance with odd and controversial clothes and messy hair, and to Samantha that was one sign that the music wasn't of any good. If she and Darrin would have known what Tabitha's interest in music would develop into, she strongly doubted they would have given her that guitar they had bought Tabitha for her birthday. But they had, and after all Tabitha did seem to like it, in her own strange way.

Darrin kept trying to persuade Samantha that Tabitha's behaviour and change in character was quite normal for a girl in her teens and that Samantha, who wasn't at all used to this mortal adolescence, shouldn't need to worry. But even if Samantha was sure he was right, she still didn't like to see her daughter this way and it distressed her that she felt so helpless.

But that wasn't the only thing that worried Samantha. What no one but Samantha knew was also the fact that Tabitha was approaching a very special moment in her life, namely her magical "coming off age" ceremony, Evoluventus. As always with these ceremonies the mother or father of the young witch or warlock got some kind of signs that the time was approaching, and for just a couple of days ago Samantha had gotten the signs. At first she couldn't understand what it was about, especially because she hadn't spent it another thought, not thinking it would be time in at least a couple of years, if it ever would be time for Tabitha, considering that she wasn't 100% witch. But then, as the signs had gotten stronger, there were no doubt what it was about. Intuitively Samantha had started worry. Basically it was the fact that Tabitha's mortal adolescence seemed to clash with her magical equivalent. Apparently Tabitha's mortal genes and upbringing made her go through adolescence as any normal mortal teenager, but apparently her magical genes made her also ready for Evoluventus, and much to Samantha's distress it seemed to happen simultaneously. Not having any prior example to go after, Samantha worried that the mixture would somehow be damaging, although she realized that she maybe was overreacting a bit. Still it was her daughter it concerned and everything that could cause slightest trouble for one of her children intuitively worried Samantha. Although, it wouldn't worry her as much as it did if Tabitha's mortal adolescent troubled mind couldn't interfere with the Evoluventus' outcome. The ceremony was basically an analysis of the young witch or warlock, and the result of the analysis would guide them throughout their lives. Samantha couldn't help but feel anxiety that the analysis could be unjust since Tabitha was obviously in a very troubled stage in her life. That was why she would wish that Tabitha's ceremony would come later, when she had had the opportunity to sort things out and when her mortal adolescent period had passed. But that was another thing that brought worry to Samantha. Tabitha was unusual young to go through Evoluventus, and Samantha couldn't understand why Tabitha could be ready for the ritual at this age, when it for Samantha was obvious her mortal adolescence made her less ready for it, than older witches that went through the ritual themselves.

Samantha sighed. This whole thing seemed to be such a mess, and what made things even worse was that Samantha felt totally helpless. Also she didn't seem to have anyone to talk to about it. The one that was in most need of understanding what was going on, namely Tabitha, was the one person Samantha couldn't mention anything of this to. It was very important that anyone that hadn't went through the ceremony themselves, especially the young witch or warlock it mostly concerned, didn't know anything about the ritual until it was time. So patiently Samantha had to wait until it was time, while hoping Tabitha would straighten her troubled mind out before, as well doing everything in her own power to help her daughter, although that didn't seem to go to well. Obviously Samantha was not allowed talking to Darrin about it either, since he hadn't gone through the ceremony. During the unusual circumstances she was allowed to tell him though, but not until just before. And since it wasn't quite time Samantha had to keep it for herself a while longer.

Samantha had thought about calling for Endora, who hadn't been around for quite some time, but not really feeling certain that her mother, or any other of her relatives for that matter, would understand the complex situation, she had lingered. For the time being Samantha kept it for herself, still hoping it would last awhile until it was time and until Tabitha wasn't as troubled.

**

* * *

**

Tabitha walked speedily up to her room and threw herself on the bed. She stared up in the ceiling and let out a big sigh. Her parents', and especially her mother's, constant worry about her, really started to get on her nerves. All right, Tabitha thought, she wasn't the happiest girl anymore and she did feel depressed or blue most of the time, but her parents' worry certainly didn't help. If anything, their complete loss of understanding made Tabitha even more annoyed at them.

She sighed again and twitched her nose making the LP-player to loudly start play. Even if Tabitha almost never used her witchcraft, she couldn't stop herself from doing small things when she felt too blue or weary, as for this afternoon.

Feeling totally blasé, she let the sound fill the room.

But in a minute or two Adam furiously stormed into her room, shouting over the music, "Tabitha! Turn it down! I'm trying to watch TV!"

Tabitha looked at her brother annoyed. "Oh Adam, shut up!" she called back, as she twitched her music even louder. Just as with everyone else in Tabitha's life she had also drifted away from her brother. To Tabitha he had become plain annoying, and they didn't seem to do anything anymore, except constantly fighting.

When noticing she wouldn't give in, Adam rushed downstairs and out to Samantha. Within a minute Adam was back followed by Samantha. "Tabitha!" Samantha yelled sternly. "Turn the music down!"

Knowing there was nothing else for her to do than do as she was told Tabitha walked over to the stereo and turned the music down, obliging in the only way that was acceptable in the house – the mortal way. Even if Tabitha didn't care to hide her rare occasion of witchcraft-use from her brother, she would never even think of revealing it to her parents. They forbad her to use it, and to Tabitha it seemed most sensible to let them believe she obliged their rules.

She went back to the bed and glared at her brother, as if to tell him that he was such a chicken who had to run to mommy for every little thing.

"Thank you," Samantha said content, letting the glare from Tabitha pass. She pushed Adam outside, knowing that this was no time for her children to be in the same room, as she followed close behind, closing the door behind them.

About half an hour later, Samantha carefully peeked into Tabitha's room to see if she had cooled off from earlier. Even if she hadn't, Samantha anyhow wondered if she possibly had changed her mind about joining them out, but with an answer in the negative, Samantha let it go.

Within minutes Tabitha heard the front door close behind them. She sighed, actually not knowing why she didn't go with them. But even if it couldn't be worse than being stuck in her room all night, her pessimism towards her mother's idea were somehow unavoidable. But before she could think of it any further, a shrill and very cheerful call was heard from downstairs: "Yoo-hoo, anybody home?"

Tabitha felt her problems all washed away as she without a doubt recognized her Aunt Serena's bright voice. Quickly she was on her feet rushing down the stairs. "Serena?" She called, suddenly feeling unusual happy.

"Oh, hi Tab," Serena cheerfully said as she turned around and saw Tabitha coming down the stairs, "what's up?"

"Nothing much… glad to see you though!"

"Ohh…" Serena smiled contented, delighted of the welcome. "Well, it ain't too bad to see you either. And I love your new style!" She then added impressed and gave an approval look up and down Tabitha's black tapered jeans and shabby grey t-shirt and her untidy hair. "Very wild."

Tabitha smiled, never hearing a single complimenting word about her appearance before.

They went on chatting for awhile before Serena wanted to know where Samantha was.

"She's out with Adam for some pizza and movie. She won't be home until late. Why?"

Serena sighed disappointedly of the news. "Well, all of my so called friends are away and I'm just dying for some company to join me for a reunion concert at the Cosmos Cotillion tonight," Serena complained childishly. "I know it's out there but I was kinda hoping your mother wanted to join me. After all it was her favourite band once… But now when even she is away… Oh, I feel so lonely…" Serena theatrical cried.

"I can join you!" Tabitha suggested eagerly, wanting nothing more than to see cosmos as well as cheer Serena up.

"Heeey…That's an idea..," Serena said as she shone up, as if all of her problems were away, thinking it could actually be a fun change to hang out with Tabitha. But then she anxiously said, "But I don't know, your mother would have an absolute fit if she knew and I already owe her tons…"

"Mom doesn't have to find out," Tabitha tried to convince her eagerly. "I'll just leave a note that I'm out with a friend." And in a second, a note was written in the air and twitched to the drawer by the door.

"Well..," Serena wasn't quite convinced.

"Serena, come on! When did you start worrying what other people think anyway?" Tabitha challenged her boldly.

Serena looked at her sneakily, clapped her hands together and let out a wide smile, "All right! You've convinced me!"

In a second Serena hooked her arm in Tabitha's, before she waved her other arm and in a flash they were gone.

**

* * *

**

Several hours later Tabitha popped back behind a bush close to their house, not wanting her family to suspect anything if they were home and awake. With a broad smile on her face, feeling happier than in a very long time, she walked up the walkway to the house just as Darrin's car pulled up at the parking space.

"Tabitha?" he asked surprised, as he exit the car. "What are you doing out at this hour?"

"I was just out with a friend. I left a note to mother," Tabitha explained, not wanting any unnecessary questions.

"Oh… all right," Darrin replied satisfied, happy that Tabitha for a change had been out for some fun, as they walked inside the dark house. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Was all right," Tabitha answered plainly not wanting to sound over-excited, even though she practically bubbled of joy inside.

"Where were you?" Darrin curiously wanted to know.

"Eh…" Tabitha searched her brains, wondering what to say, "Just a new place. You wouldn't know it…"

Darrin laughed, knowing she was probably right, Darrin not understanding much of the teens' whereabouts anymore.

Relieved that her father didn't seem to suspect anything, Tabitha silently hurried up the stairs while wishing him good night, before he could ask anything more about her escapade with one of his much unappreciated in-laws.

**

* * *

**

Still in good spirit from last night, Tabitha went down to the kitchen to help out with the breakfast. But when noticing she would only be in the way with her mother almost being ready with the pancakes and Adam just about to finish laying the plates, she instead jumped up on the bench dangling her legs. "Morning," she said unusually happy.

"Good morning, Tabitha," Samantha said with a smile, surprised but happy to see Tabitha in another mood than her usual blue one. "I'm glad you decided to go out yesterday to have some fun after all. Your dad told me you seemed to have had a good time."

"Yeah, it was all right."

"Who were you with?" Samantha curiously wondered, really wanting to take advantage of this rare good-spirited moment with her daughter, as well curious of who could cheer Tabitha up.

"Eh…" Tabitha swallowed, while frantically searching her brain for something good to say. "Just a new friend I've got," she then lied.

"Well why don't you ask her or him over sometime? You haven't brought your friends over for quite some time."

"Eh, yeah, maybe…," Tabitha again lied, knowing that that wouldn't happen. At least not in the way her mother thought. Really not wanting any more questions she jumped down from the bench and peeked over her mother's shoulder. Hoping to change the subject, she wondered, "Breakfast done yet?"

"Just one more to go," Samantha said and poured the last bit of the pancake batter into the pan. "Oh, before I forget," Samantha then suddenly said as if something just had hit her, "Your grandmother called and said they'll drop by tomorrow afternoon. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Adam, who was sitting at the table not being too engaged in the previous discussion, now beamed up. "Oh, great!" he exclaimed happily, always appreciating meeting his grandparents, "I bet grandfather have some new cool invention he can show us."

Not feeling too exceedingly happy about it, Tabitha drifted away in her own thoughts, not paying too much attention to her brother and mother, who were now in deep conversation about her grandfather's many inventions. But not staying out of the conversation too long, Tabitha instead said, "When's grandmamma Endora coming for a visit? It was ages ago she was here…"

"I don't know." Samantha said a bit off, feeling a bit concerned at noticing Tabitha's dismiss of her grandfather, only to bring up her grandmamma Endora.

Not noticing the offish tone in her mother's voice, Tabitha continued, "I miss her! Can't we call for her or something?"

"I'm sure she'll turn up eventually," Samantha simply said.

"Well, what if she doesn't? It's not as if we ever invite her or something…She might feel rejected."

"Oh don't you worry Tabitha. She'll pop in sooner or later. My mother always does."

Darrin, who'd just entered in a good mood, suddenly dropped his shoulder and got a most weary expression on his face, when hearing a discussion of his mother-in-law. He sighed loudly, and without really thinking about it he said tiredly, "let's hope for later…"

Hearing her father's displeased remark, Tabitha glared irritated at him.

"Why don't you like grandmamma?" she then surly asked, tired of her father's constant dislike for her grandmother. It had always been obvious that her father and grandmother Endora never did get along, but still Tabitha felt frustrated that whatever or whoever Tabitha liked, one or often both of her parents didn't like.

When seeing her father's restrained look on his face from her question, Tabitha knew it was no idea hearing his answer. And with that Tabitha felt her usual hopeless mood washing over her. Not feeling up to spending time with her family anymore she turned around and started walking out the room while surly mumbling, "I'll go up to my room."

"But what about breakfast?" Samantha hopelessly tried.

"I'm not hungry anymore," Tabitha shortly stated as she walked out.

Samantha sighed deeply as she saw her daughter exit before she glared at Darrin. "Was that really necessary?"

"What?" Darrin looked at her bewildered, not really understanding what he'd done. Sure, he shouldn't talk bad about Endora in front of his children, but he didn't think he done so much wrong this time.

"She was so happy when she came down, happier than I've seen her in a long time, and then poof…," Samantha snapped her fingers, "…you come and turn everything back to the normal misery in a second."

She put the plate of pancakes roughly onto the table and seated her self, made a gesture for Adam to eat, before she grabbed herself a pancake.

Darrin sat down quietly, sure not to say a peep, actually starting to blaming himself for wrecking this Saturday morning.


	2. Chapter 2

The weekend passed by as normal, Tabitha being alone up in her room practising on her guitar playing not spending time with the others more than necessary. But as Sunday afternoon approached and Darrin's parents came for a quick visit Tabitha put on her usual fake happy mood and forced herself to go downstairs to greet her grandparents. Although she wasn't and never really had been too thrilled about her grandparents on her dad's side, they were her grandparents and she owed them to behave and she did do her very best to not sulk during their visits. But as the time went by, Tabitha couldn't hide her gloominess too well as her façade started failing, much to her own annoyance. Not wanting to spoil a perfectly okay visit and not wanting also her grandparents to worry, Tabitha excused herself and went upstairs.

Darrin, who wasn't quite satisfied with Tabitha's behaviour, despite her efforts, went after her.

"Tabitha?" Darrin said firmly just as she was about to enter her room. She turned around and when Darrin noticed that he had her attention, he continued wit a distinct tone of disappointment in his voice, "It wouldn't hurt you if you tried to be a bit more pleasant the short time when your grandparents are here."

Stunned that her father didn't seem to understand that that was exactly what she had been trying to do, Tabitha just looked at him upset, actually feeling a bit hurt.

"And can't you put on a little less controversial outfit and at least comb your hair when they come?" he said and made a gesture to her messy outfit and tangled hair. "Didn't you see how you startled your grandmother with your extreme appearance?"

Hearing her father going on complaining, Tabitha's anger rose. Here she had made an effort to smile and act as she was ok, when she was screaming and crying inside, and the only thing her father could do was to complain! "So you want me to lie to grandma and grandpa? Acting as if I'm all right?" she hissed silently not to let her grandparents downstairs hear. "You just want me to be someone I'm not!"

"No, that was not what I said," Darrin said calmly, trying to sound as if he understood. "I just want you to be a bit happier, as you were before."

Tabitha looked astounded at her father, feeling her frustration rise. Did they actually think she liked being miserable? And that she liked to disappoint everyone else? Of course they wanted the sweet little cheerful Tabitha, but she was long lost gone. And as it felt now, Tabitha doubted that she would ever come back. Being close to tears, Tabitha turned around, rushed into her room and slammed the door in her father's face, not wanting him to see her tears.

Darrin sighed. Being a teenage parent started feeling a lot harder than he'd ever thought. Tabitha had become completely unreachable for him and Samantha, and neither of them understood what went on in her head. Although she mostly kept to herself, a fight had started being unavoidable as soon as their paths crossed and even if Darrin figured it was only a phase that would pass, he certainly wished it would pass soon. He sighed again, before he went down to the others.

**

* * *

**

After an hour or so, after Phyllis and Frank had left and when Tabitha had gained control of herself, she civilly enough let her parents know that she wanted to go over to a friend. With Darrin and Samantha only being happy to hear Tabitha seemed to be spending time with friends again, gladly agreed that it of course was ok. But instead of walking away to a friend's house, Tabitha popped away as soon as she'd exit the house.

"So, what d'you been doing?" Serena asked as Tabitha popped in.

"Nothing much. My grandparents came for a visit, but mostly I've just been up in my room working on my music…"

Serena looked at Tabitha in surprise, "Your music?"

"Yeah… I've been learning how to play the guitar and now I've just finished writing a whole song…," Tabitha said almost embarrassed. Not only had she never really talked about her music to anyone, but no one had never before shown the slightest interest in her music either.

"Hey, how about that?" Serena said, obviously being impressed. "You must play it for me."

Before Tabitha knew it Serena had twitched up a guitar.

"Oh, no…," Tabitha protested shyly. "I've never played for anyone before."

"Well, it's about time then," Serena simply said and looked at Tabitha eagerly, waiting for her to begin.

"All right," Tabitha agreed uncertainly and took the guitar, feeling a strange mixture of nervousness and excitement to show someone her work. "But it's just barely finished, and I'm not any good…"

"Shush that, just go on. I'm dying of excitement here!"

Nervously Tabitha began playing, and without really expecting it Serena was captivated. Except from some mistakes every now and then, it did have potential.

As Tabitha sang the last note and as the sound of her guitar faded, Serena clapped her hands excitedly. "Wow, Tab! That was awesome!"

Tabitha blushed, "you really think so?"

"Love it, love it, love it!" Serena excitedly said and gestured her arms just as excitedly just to strengthen her point.

Tabitha blushed even more. Sure, Serena got excited about everything, but Tabitha had definitely not expected this kind of recognition of her silly song.

"Well, I've been practising for ever…"

Serena dropped her arms and looked straight at Tabitha curiously wondering how little witchcraft her cousin Samantha had actually taught Tabitha. "You know you don't _have to_ practise right?"

"Yeah sure I know I could always zap my skills up. But I don't want to use my witchcraft for this. It's fun learning the hard way. It feels fulfilling somehow."

Serena snorted, not hiding she felt a bit offended that Tabitha dismissed the magical way.

Seeing Serena's disappointment, Tabitha cheerfully turned the subject around to Serena's benefit, "I think mom mentioned sometime that you used to play the guitar." With a twinkle in her eye, she continued, "Wouldn't be other than fair that you played me some now…"

Serena smiled happy of getting the attention. "Well all right," she said, trying jokingly to sound a bit reluctant.

She twitched up her old psychedelic-painted guitar, always being a special fan of the hippie time and before Tabitha knew it, Serena was rocking away.

Being caught up by the music, hours went by as they played and danced, happy of one another's acknowledgments for their newly found common interest.

**

* * *

**

It was all dark when Tabitha with a smile on her lips came home. Not seeing anyone around Tabitha walked silently up to her room, hoping the rest were asleep and wouldn't notice her late homecoming. Not at all being ready for bed, despite the late hour, Tabitha instead sat on the bed and smiled for herself thinking of the fun they had had this afternoon. She looked at the guitar standing in the corner and intuitively she picked it up. Softly, almost inaudible, she began playing on the strings, careful not to make too much sound.

Even if she lately kept most things for herself, her music was the one thing that had been completely off limits to anyone else. Because her music was so personal somehow. Whenever things were feeling too hopeless or dreadful in her life, which lately was most of the time, she could always sneak off to her own little refuge in her room, play her music and write her songs, and feel a delightful distance to the world outside. And important enough it also felt as if she through her music could release some of the obvious feelings that burned inside of her through letting it all out in her songs. That was why Tabitha felt she couldn't share her music with anyone. Although, now she had. She had played and talked about her music to Serena, and strangely enough Tabitha realized that it actually felt rather good. It felt good to share something that was so important to her and it felt good to be acknowledged for it. Because even if she wouldn't dream of playing her music, or even talk about it for that matter, to someone else, not the least her parents, she wouldn't mind of at least once actually getting some kind of recognition that she actually played. And her parents' complaint was not what she had in mind. Never once had they shown the slightest interest in her music without some kind of disapproval and even if Tabitha tried to convince herself she didn't care what they thought, she knew she did. But they had become so distant to her now that Tabitha indeed started feeling indifferent to their opinions. Not wanting to think of it any further she pushed the thoughts away and in silence practiced the new type of chords Serena had taught her.

**

* * *

**

Sam was standing outside at the patio in her nightgown, looking up at the cloudy sky, feeling a most distinct feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had been sitting up waiting for Tabitha to come home, but as she was sitting in the sofa, almost half asleep, the feeling had suddenly attacked her out of nowhere and automatically she had walked outside. Seeing the cloudy sky she knew that there was no doubt that the signs of Tabitha's Evoluventus were getting stronger and that it was closing in. But as her worries now lay in that Tabitha wasn't home at this late hour, Samantha turned around and shut the door firmly behind her, not wanting to concern about the signs at this moment. Instead she walked back and fourth, looking at her arm watch, feeling most uneasy. Even if it pleased her and Darrin that Tabitha seemed to have rejoined with at least one friend, they certainly didn't feel as pleased with Tabitha's late whereabouts. As she restlessly sauntered about, a light coming from Tabitha's room caught her eye. Quickly she rushed upstairs and opened the door to find Tabitha sitting laid-backed in her bed with her guitar. For a second she felt mostly relieved to see her daughter home safe and sound, but as the relief vanished the upset took its place. "Where have you been?" she asked and looked strictly at her daughter.

When noticing her mother in her doorway Tabitha looked up but when hearing the sternly tone in her voice, Tabitha looked back at her guitar. "Out... You said I could…," Tabitha plainly said.

"Yes, but not 'til this hour! Do you even know what time it is?"

Tired of her parents' constant nag Tabitha didn't even mind answer, knowing it wouldn't be any use anyway.

When not getting any answer Samantha continued with a sterner voice, "it's late, that what's time it is!"

Yet again Samantha got no response. Samantha sighed over her daughter's obstinate behaviour, really not being in the mood of talking to a wall. "Well, I'm going to bed now and I assume you'll do the same."

"I'm not tired," Tabitha now said for some reason.

"Tabitha, it's almost midnight and you have school tomorrow!"

"I know that!" Tabitha said and looked angrily up at her mother, so tired that they never just leaved her alone. "But you don't have to tell me when I should go to bed. I can take care of myself."

"Obviously you can't!" Samantha blurted out, really starting to loose her temper.

Hearing her mother's raised tone of voice, Tabitha looked back at her playing, ignoring her mother yet again.

Samantha sighed angrily. The usual sadness and indifference that Samantha saw in her daughter only worried her, but when she got fierce like this Samantha's temper was really close to bursting, not feeling much else than angry. But somehow her anger did not only turn to Tabitha, but also to the signs she felt a couple of minutes ago. How could they even consider Tabitha being ready for the Evoluventus? She frustrated thought. Couldn't they see she was impossible? For Samantha it was plain as a day that Tabitha would be judged unfairly if anyone would analyse her at this day. So why were the signs attacking her like this? She sighed again, feeling both angry and worried, but mostly just totally frustrated that she felt so helpless. Tiredly she left the room, thinking there was nothing more she could do at this time.


	3. Chapter 3

The days went by and Tabitha and Serena were hanging out constantly, still without Samantha and Darrin knowing. Not wanting her parents to suspect anything Tabitha did not only be more careful not to come home too late as the other day, but she also expanded her white lies of her being out with friends, as she knew that that was a bit stretching it. Instead she told them that she was at the library or in school or whatever other explanation she could find that was believable, when she in reality always popped away to meet Serena. That was what she had done even this Saturday.

Tabitha and Serena was sitting in each shockingly green and oddly shaped arm chair in a coffee place constructed in what it looked like purple clouds, as Serena suddenly twitched up two almost overfilled giant mugs. She handed one of them to Tabitha, "try this, you'll just love it."

Tabitha sipped some of the hot drink and although it looked and smelled like ordinary chocolate, Tabitha let out a big "mmm," when she felt the sensational, out-of-this-world-taste.

Seeing she was right, Serena smiled confident, "Told ya´."

"But it could use some cream-topping," Tabitha said and twitched up some cream in each mug.

Pleased to see Tabitha using her witchcraft, Serena smiled, "good choice."

Also Tabitha smiled, really feeling at ease being with Serena.

"This is so cool, Aunty Serena, hanging out with you." Tabitha then happily stated.

Serena laughed flattered of her obvious success with Tabitha, "Yeah, I know! It's awesome we can chill like this. But you really do have to stop calling me 'aunty' in public…I sound so old!" she childishly complained.

Tabitha laughed at Serena's theatrical expressions before she took another sip.

They sat there talking and laughing for awhile, sipping their drinks, before Tabitha contentedly looked at Serena. "You know what? It feels as if I really can talk to you. About anything."

Despite feeling very much confident of all the flattering, Serena made a coyly gesture. "oh stop it…"

"But I'm serious. It's nice to have someone that understands. I really have no one else to talk to."

Actually noticing the seriousness in Tabitha's voice, Serena looked at her puzzled, "What about your friends? Can't you talk with them?"

"I don't know..." Tabitha sighed, feeling as if the few friends she still had were nowhere near how easy it felt to hang out with and talk to Serena. "I can only talk with friends about mortal stuff. It didn't bother me before but now I can really feel that we're different. I just don't seem to have anything in common with them anymore. Not even the normal mortal stuff." Tabitha sighed and looked down in her mug.

Serena looked puzzled at her again, and when Tabitha could see the puzzled look on Serena's face she continued, "Well sure there are some mortal things to talk about, but now people are starting talking about what they'll do when they grow up, at what Uni they will go to and things like that. Some of them are even talking about marriage and families and stuff. And to me, being a witch, all those things are either interesting first in a couple of hundreds of years, or just impossible to talk about. Like the Uni's. Even if mom and dad, especially dad, won't like it I at least want to consider going to a magical Uni like Witches' Uni and…"

Before she could continue, Serena interrupted. "Oh you'll go to Witches' U?" Serena shone up proudly and excitedly started babbling, "Your mother and I went there and it was such a blast. Oh we had so much fun! Uni of Magic is all right too I guess, but Witches' Uni is by far the best and…" When realizing she'd lost track of herself with her babbling, she went silent and looked sheepishly at Tabitha. "Sorry…"

Tabitha smiled, both of Serena's never ending energy and excitement, and of listening about Serena's and her mother's fun time at Uni, "that's all right."

But then she turned serious again and continued, "anyway… that's not the real problem…" She sighed, suddenly feeling very blue, "it's just that it feels so wrong that they share everything with me, but I can't share half of it back, like I can't give myself fully as they do to me, you know? I have so many secrets from them because I'm a witch that I feel like such a cheater, but I know I can never tell them since they never would or even could understand. And now I don't even want them to tell me about their secrets and thoughts anymore, since it feels so unjust to them." She sighed troubled, although she felt somewhat relieved to get it off her chest, especially since she just now, when hearing it being said, really understood the reason what kept her away from her former friends.

Always feeling her most insecure in serious discussions Serena carefully suggested, although Tabitha had hinted that she didn't get along too well with Samantha, "Can't you talk to your mother then?"

Tabitha shook her head. "She wouldn't understand. She just wants me to be like any other mortal..."

Serena cursed her cousin silently in her head for being so…so mortal. But not letting her think of it any more she wondered, "But what about Adam?" She looked hopefully at Tabitha, thinking that if Samantha wasn't of any use, her brother sure would, since they were not only in the same position but Serena knew how good friends they'd been when they were younger.

"Adam is just stupid. He's getting more and more mortal by the day, and he doesn't seem to be at all interested in anything regarding magic." Tabitha had always figured that the only reason why Adam didn't seem to be at all interested in their magic heritage must be the fact that he seemed to have gotten more of the mortal genes, never really developed to be a fully extended warlock. Whilst Tabitha seemed to have developed as any witch should, Adam only had some of the warlock-qualities, and Tabitha figured that must be why he would feel more at home with and appreciate the mortal life more than the supernatural.

"Or he's just to chicken to stand up to mom and dad," she then added, considering her parents never seemed to think Adam could do anything wrong in contrast to Tabitha.

Serena dropped her shoulder in disappointment, troubled that she couldn't help young Tabitha, especially after Tabitha had confide how happy she was that they hanged out. But then she looked at Tabitha excitedly and smiled widely, "Well then, that's what you have me for!"

Tabitha smiled. "I sure have!"

They cheered their mugs as they chanted together: "to us."

"Now let's have some fun!" Serena exclaimed excitedly.

Influenced by Serena's excitement Tabitha smiled just as excitedly. "What should we do?"

"Well it seems to me as you really need a bash of magic in your life," Serena simply said as if it was plain as a day.

Hearing Serena's suggestion Tabitha felt an extremely unfamiliar feeling of happiness inside of her. She smiled widely as they, as usual on their get-togethers, popped away to one or another of the many magical places Serena wanted inexperienced Tabitha to take part of to understand what being a witch was really about.

**

* * *

**

Simultaneously in the mortal world Samantha and Louise sat in the Stephens' living room drinking coffee.

After they had chatted for awhile while sipping their coffee and eating their cookies, Louise couldn't any longer hide the fact that she had noticed that her friend had been a bit absent-mindedly.

"Samantha?" she then wondered concerned of her friend. "Are you all right? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine Louise," Samantha lied. "I guess I'm just tired, that's all. I haven't slept too well lately."

"Oh? How come?" Louise wondered, somehow having a feeling her friend's sleeping problem had a clear cause.

"Oh, I don't know…" Samantha started and shrugged her shoulders, but when seeing that Louise wouldn't stop her concern, she confessed. "Well, actually I'm a bit worried about Tabitha…She has really not been herself lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…," Samantha said cautiously, not really knowing how to go on. "She seems to be so depressed and angry," she then said, figuring it might as well be best to just get out with it. "And when she's not, she's instead completely indifferent to everything. She's just keeping her to herself, as if she lived in her own little world."

Louise smiled for herself, knowing exactly what Samantha was talking about, feeling as if she herself just went through the exact same thing just about a year ago, and still did for that matter, being a mother of a teenager herself. "But she's a teenage, that's how they are."

Not really being finished, Samantha went on, "And whenever I try to talk to her about it, or something else for that matter, she just gives me glary looks or surly or fierce remarks."

"Of course she won't talk to you, you're her mother," Louise explained, as if it was the most logical thing.

Samantha looked at her friend puzzled, not quite understanding what she meant, and actually feeling a bit hurt. Weren't a daughter and mother supposed to be able to talk about everything?

"It's not that much _what_ you say to her, it's the fact that you say _anything at all_. That's just how teenagers are. They'll do everything they can just to displease their parents and be as much trouble as they possibly can."

Samantha sighed gloomily. "Darrin says the same thing, but I just don't understand…" Samantha really didn't understand these mortal behaviour patterns and felt frustrated only thinking of it. It sounded so cruel that this was the normal way in the mortal world, for all parents to be rejected like this. What was the point of breaking up with their parents just because they became teenagers? Sure, the mortals did have some strange things going on, but this was ridiculous. No, Samantha surely didn't understand a thing of this.

Louise looked at her friend puzzled, not understanding how this common fact could be like news for her friend. "Don't you remember how it was like being in that age?"

"Just barely…," Samantha lied, thinking it probably wouldn't be the best idea to bring up some Dark Ages memories from her youth...

"Of course things were a bit stricter back then, but teenagers were pretty much the same as they are today," Louise continued. "It's just a dreadful period in life everyone goes through. So trust me Samantha, you have nothing to worry about."

Not at all being convinced, only feeling frustrated over the mortal ways, Samantha grumbled, "But she looks so sad and miserable all of the time…"

Louise exhaled, really feeling concerned about her friend, and patiently she tried another approach. "So what about her friends? And Adam? Do they think this as well?"

Almost feeling more anxiously at the mentioning of Tabitha's friends, Samantha sighed heavily. "She doesn't seem to have many friends anymore and instead she's all caught up by that dreadful music. I'm worried that it's not only us she's like this to. What if she's this nonchalant among the other kids? Then it's no wonder she doesn't have any friends…" An anxious expression spread across Samantha's face, as she felt her worries rise. "If only she let me talk to her, so I could try to understand what's troubling her…" Samantha's voice died out, feeling the too familiar feeling of helplessness creeping up on her.

Louise sat silently listening to her friend, starting to realize that Samantha was indeed worry. Not like any teenage parent, but really worried. So maybe there actually was something really wrong. Even if it in Louise's point of view probably only was a phase, it actually wasn't uncommon for teenagers to really loose track of themselves and end up in real problems. So maybe that could happen to Tabitha. To Louise it seemed as it often did start with the teenager drifting away joining different kinds of movements, and Tabitha's involvement in the punk certainly didn't seem to be a good sign, Louise realized that. But not wanting to worry her friend even more, Louise kept her thoughts to herself and instead she suggested, "Maybe you could take her to a therapist? I had a friend once that had real problems with her teenage son who went to a therapist, and she thought it really helped."

After considering the suggestion for only a second, Samantha shook her head tiredly. Even though Tabitha's behaviour apparently seemed to be mortal-related, Samantha's still fresh memory of when the one and only Dr Freud tried to help her with some problems in the past, convinced her that she didn't want to bring in any therapist. And besides, Samantha's strongest worry did lay deeper, and a therapist certainly couldn't help with that.

But really appreciating her friend's help and concern, Samantha smiled reassuringly. "No, I don't think that would be necessary. She'll probably come around soon enough."

Louise smiled supportive, "That's the spirit. But if you ever need someone to talk to again, you know you can always count on me."

Samantha smiled, "Yes, I know. Thank you, Louise."

Louise gave her friend a comforting pat on her arm, before she got ready to rise from the sofa. "I'm really sorry, but I really have to get going now. I'm already late for my other engagement."

"That's all right. It was really nice that you came over," Samantha said as she walked Louise to the door. "And thanks for the chat."

Louise gave her friend a comforting look, happy she could help, but just as she was about to speak, the door suddenly opened and the two of them jerked.

Tabitha, who'd just popped back to earth on the other side of the door a second ago, jerked as well, startled to find her mother and Louise standing just inside.

"Hi Tabitha!" Louise cheerfully said, after she'd caught her breath from the surprise. "How nice to see you again."

"Oh…Hi Louise. Mom." Tabitha stammered, still a bit taken aback that it was probably only seconds that saved her from not being caught popping, realizing she really had to be more careful on her enters and exits.

"Did you have fun?" Samantha wondered.

"Was all right…,"Tabitha said indifferent and ran upstairs.

"See what I mean?" Samantha said and looked at Louise, after she'd heard Tabitha's door shut.

Louise smiled comfortingly yet again, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. It's just a phase. Jonathan is going through the same thing."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. I'm probably just being silly."

"You're not being silly. You're just acting as any parent would." Louise gave her friend a reassuringly hug, "and remember, I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

"I will," Samantha hugged her back, before they said goodbye and Louise left.

**

* * *

**

As Tabitha could hear her mother and Louise saying goodbye to each other downstairs, she sat down on her bed and picked up the book that lay on her nightstand. She looked at it for a moment, but instead of opening it she threw it up in the air and before it could land with a thud on the floor she pointed her fingers at it and it suddenly froze in mid-air. She smiled for herself. She never had been able to freeze things properly before, but after Serena's help Tabitha suddenly felt very confident in freezing, as well as a bunch of other powers. Serena had not only introduced Tabitha to the magical world, she had also started giving lessons to Tabitha in all kinds of spells and incantations and Tabitha couldn't deny what a wonderful feeling it was to learn new magical things. Also it made her realize that her previous trivial twitching didn't matter a thing, she only did it in the loss of more significant witchcraft. And even if she felt as if her powers weren't at the best, it somehow felt as if the powers were all there under the surface, latent just waiting to be released. And even if she normally was very inexperienced to use her powers it felt awfully familiar when she now started using them, almost as if she actually was quite skilled, only she never knew. But that was what made it feel so strange. Because during Tabitha's whole life she had been strictly forbidden not to use her witchcraft, so obviously witchcraft was something off-limited. Although, when she now so capable zapped and came up with spells, she came to think of another thing. Even if magical occasions rarely ever happened because of the family's rule of no witchcraft Tabitha did have a vague memory of a time when she was young and magical wasn't as unusual. Somewhere in her back of her head she remembered not only herself but even her mother and her magical relatives' constantly using witchcraft, but that seemed so distant that Tabitha even wondered if it had been true. Because now magical things almost never ever happened. Of course her relatives used their witchcraft, but when it came to her instant family, witchcraft was something that almost felt unreal, except on very rare occasions, and then it was always carefully whitewashed and repressed by her parents. Well, whatever had went on in the past, and whatever mortal charade that went on in her home now, Tabitha was thrilled that Serena so willingly showed her the unfamiliarly magical world.

She picked up the book from its position in mid-air and put it back on the table. Even if it felt wonderful using her witchcraft, she knew she had to be extra careful about it, because if her parents found out they would definitely flip out. And they would flip out even more if they had any idea that Serena was not only encouraging her but also learning her more complicated witchcraft, witchcraft that her parents so hard tried to dismiss.

**

* * *

**

After Louise left Samantha absent-mindedly started doing the dishes. Even though it felt good to talk to someone about her worries, Samantha's real worries, the worries she couldn't talk about with anyone, were still nagging her inside, especially since the constant bad weather kept remaindering her.

"Mom?" she heard a distant voice calling.

"Mom?" It called again stronger, and this time she got brought back to reality.

"Mom, what were you thinking about?" Adam stood beside her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh…nothing," she said and tried to shake off her thoughts. "What is it?"

"I just want to tell you that I'm leaving now to go over to Alex."

"Oh, all right," Samantha said. "Just be home before dinner."

"All right, I will."

Being done with the dishes she joined him to the door, as her earlier deep thoughts and worries came rushing back to her. As Adam put on his jacket, Samantha looked at her son a bit hesitantly. "Adam? Could I ask you something?"

"Ehm, sure…" Adam answered, wondered what this could be about.

"When you and Tabitha are alone, is she acting the same way as she does with me and your father?"

"Pretty much, yeah…" Adam answered and nodded. "Or well, not _exactly_ the same way. She's more just plain mean to me," he gloomily said. "She sure ain't any fun at all anymore."

Samantha sighed that Adam didn't gave her more pleasant news.

When sensing the discussion being over, Adam got ready to leave. "Well, see you later," he said and gave her mother a quick hug, sensing she might need it.

When getting a hug from her son, Samantha felt a sudden sting in her heart. Although it gave her much pleasure to see her son so happy and carefree, she suddenly felt worry over also him and worried that she might have to go through all of this again, in just a couple of years. Not wanting to let him go she hugged him tighter, almost as if she was afraid of loosing him, as she felt she was on her way doing with Tabitha.

"Mom…" Adam complained, as he fought for his breath of his mother's tight embrace.

"Oh, sorry…," Samantha apologized foolishly as she let him go. Not wanting him to worry, Samantha instead smiled reassuringly and straighten his jacket, "you go on and have fun."

Not really understanding what got into his mother and not really caring for too much affection, he raised his eyebrows in bewilderment and went outside while calling goodbye after him.


	4. Chapter 4

Really appreciating the time with Serena Tabitha kept spending as much time with her aunt as possible, still with her parents unknowing. The time with Serena had become the only time, except when working on her music, when Tabitha felt completely happy and at ease. It had become a place where she could relax and forget all about her problems and worries and it felt like a very much needed escape from her otherwise dreary existence. Also, she really appreciated Serena's excited and happy personality. Not only was she evidently fun to be with, but it also felt good to be with someone so carefree and light-hearted, as an appreciated change from her worrisome parents.

But apart from all that it was Serena's introduction to the magical world that became most significant. It wasn't so much the obvious loss of witchcraft Tabitha started realizing she had lived with, than the almost revelation the magical world gave her. It was as if things started clearing up, and she started figuring out who she actually was and wanted to be, and how important the magic was to her and always had been. And it felt good, feeling as if she was getting back on track with her life. That is, when she somehow could suppress her real life back on earth.

Although, somehow the happiness of her last visit with Serena lingered on for a while as she popped back home, despite that she was back in her normal world.

"Tabitha? Is that you?" she heard her mother call from the kitchen as she shut the front door.

She walked to the kitchen where she found her mother all caught up in making a salad and her brother half-heartedly stirring the pot on the stove. "Yeah, what is it?" she said casually not sounding as gloomily or surly as usual.

Hearing the relatively positive tone in her daughter's voice, Samantha found herself feeling unusual at ease. Although hoping she wouldn't destroy the moment, she chanced anyway as she wondered, "Tabitha, would you be kind and help setting the table?"

Not seeing why not, Tabitha shrugged her shoulders and went over to the cupboard to get the plates. As she had finished with the settings after a couple of minutes, she went back into the kitchen while all along not being able to stop thinking of how fun she'd had with Serena this day. "Mom?" she then asked spontaneously, "when did you last use your witchcraft?"

A bit taken aback by the question Samantha stopped what she was doing for a second, and answered carefully, "well, I don't know. Not in awhile now…"

"Why is that?" Tabitha wondered, even if she very well knew what.

"You know why…," Samantha said, and quickly tried to change the subject, "Tabitha, could you see if there are any more tomatoes in the refrigerator?"

Tabitha peeked in the refrigerator. "Nope," she simply stated before she grinned. "But I can twitch some up if you'd like?"

"Never mind the twitching," Samantha said starting to get a bit uncomfortable of her daughters sudden interest in witchcraft. "We'll have to manage with the tomatoes we've already have."

Not at all ready to stop talking of what she first had started with, Tabitha again asked, "But why don't you use your witchcraft? And me and Adam too for that matter?"

Hearing his name being mentioned, Adam, who'd been standing apprehensive listening silently to the discussion between his mother and sister, jerked. "I don't want to use my witchcraft!" he complained insecurely.

Not really paying any attention to Adam's comment, Samantha looked stunned at her daughter. "Tabitha, what's gotten into you? You know we're living in a mortal world, and that morals aren't ready for witches and warlocks."

"How do you know?" Tabitha challenged. "Maybe they would if we just came out with it. What's the use of being witches if we can't act like ones?"

Before Samantha could answer Darrin, who apparently had walked in without anyone notice, exclaimed slightly shocked, "Tabitha!" he exclaimed shockingly of what he heard. But then he turned to Sam as always when it was something witchy going on, "Sam! What's all this voodoo talk?"

Not letting her mother answer, Tabitha was quick to answer. "It's not voodoo. It's called witchcraft," she said firmly and looked irritated at her father, almost feeling offended of his reference to voodoo. "Any normal witch uses it…"

"Tabitha!" Samantha exclaimed to hush her down, while Darrin on the other hand just felt as uncomfortable and stunned as Samantha previously had of this new side of his daughter, not knowing what to say.

But then he got his act together, and simply said, "Well whatever you want to call it, can we drop talking about it?" Darrin looked firmly at his daughter.

Knowing it was no use talking about it any further; Tabitha fell silent, although not without a glare in her father's direction, feeling her normal mood coming back.

Only satisfied he'd made them drop the subject, Darrin did not mind the glare Tabitha gave him, especially since it wasn't that unusual anyway. Instead he looked at his children and tried to change the subject as subtle as possible, "So how are school lately? Studying anything interesting?"

Adam, who felt most uncomfortable of all the witch-talk, just shook his head and looked down in the pot. Tabitha, on the other hand, nodded, "actually- yeah…We've just got assigned to write an essay about an important historic event we're especially interested in."

"Oh?" Darrin said curiously and looked at her daughter, content, yet mighty surprised, that Tabitha seemed to have dropped the surly act. "So what will you write about?"

Tabitha picked up the bowl of salad her mother just had finished, just to prolong the moment, before she looked straight at her father, "the madness of the witch-hunt in Salem and how utterly bigoted and cruel mortals can be... Do you want to hear what I've got so far?"

When seeing her father's obvious discomfort of her acknowledgement; Tabitha couldn't help but gloat for herself as she walked out to the diner-room with the salad, leaving her father speechless behind.


	5. Chapter 5

The days went by and Tabitha's redevelopment of her powers and positive spirit about her magical heritage was obviously not entirely bypassed in the mortal world. After Tabitha's first mentioning witchcraft to her parents the other day, the occasions became more frequent, much to her parents' and brother's displeasure. Of course Tabitha was sure not to give anything away that could hint Serena's involvement, knowing that then it all would definitely be over, but she couldn't any longer stand her family's disown of witchcraft. And what was more she started realize her parents' part in all this and the discovery made her even sorer at them. So without mentioning the cause Tabitha let it all out on her parents, not caring anymore to hide the fact that she blamed her parents for most of her problems. So while she in cosmos became happier and happier, the climate at home became fiercer and fiercer. Unavoidable to her parents she became more and more nuisance and uproariously, making them not only increasingly concerned and worn-out but also making them worry more and more. Although the constant setbacks with their efforts of calming and reprimanding Tabitha, they tried to keep up their home idyll as normal as possible.

**

* * *

**

"Tabitha! Adam! Dinner is ready!" Darrin called upstairs, before he walked back to the kitchen where Samantha was just about to put the saucepan on the table.

But before any of them knew it Tabitha appeared out of thin air and they both looked at her in shock, so unused to see their daughter use her powers that they had hard to believe their eyes.

Samantha then looked sternly at her daughter, who was standing with her back towards them, "Tabitha, did you _pop _here?"

Tabitha stiffened, being so used to be accepted as a witch since she'd started hanging out with Serena that she'd almost forgotten how carefully she had to be at home using witchcraft. Because even if she had started using her powers more, even in the mortal world, it was always behind her parents' back, so to now pop in on them was quite provokingly, Tabitha realised that clear as a day. "Oh oh…" she whispered to herself, but as she turned around to face her parents who both looked sternly directly at her, she suddenly felt too sick and tired of simply accepting her parents ideas when she was very much against them. Instead of apologizing she looked confident at her parents, "Well, what if I did?"

"Tabitha Stephens, you know perfectly well witchcraft is not allowed in this house!" Darrin sternly said.

"Why shouldn't I use witchcraft?" Tabitha was now starting to get fired up, "I _am_ a witch and witches use witchcraft!"

"Maybe you are, but you are also just a girl living in a mortal world!" Darrin stated. "And that means NO witchcraft!"

"But it's so unfair! I hate your stupid rules!" Tabitha said, looking directly at her father.

"It doesn't matter whether you like them or not. As long as you live under this roof, it's this house's rule you have to live by, and that is NO witchcraft."

"Well then I might just move! I could go live with Aunty Serena or grandmamma Endora!"

Tabitha blurted out. "There I at least wouldn't get deprived of who I am!" Tabitha now cried, feeling completely hopeless and small. Her father didn't understand a thing, Tabitha thought, and her mother just did as her father said. Oh how she hated them sometimes! Not wanting to stay another second she ran outside and slammed the front door behind her.

Samantha and Darrin looked at each other anxiously. Tabitha was definitely becoming more and more difficult. Her earlier apathetic ways was now replaced solemnly by rebellious arguing and yelling, and it was indeed tiresome. And what was more she had gone from only bringing up witchcraft often enough to actually performing witchcraft. For Darrin this was obviously not appreciated the slightest, and it even started making him anxious that Tabitha would turn more and more into a witch, turning her back to the mortal world. But for Samantha this added change in Tabitha only increased her worry that Tabitha's mortal and magical development would clash. But too worn out to think about it at this moment, both of them let it pass for the time being.

**

* * *

**

As soon as Tabitha had slammed the door shut she popped away. In a second or two she instead popped up beside Serena, who was lying in a sun chair, dressed in nothing but a small bikini and a big pair of sun glasses drinking a huge drink.

When noticing that Tabitha had popped in Serena smiled and sat up, but when seeing the teary-eyed girl, she pulled down her glasses to her tip of her nose, and looked concerned at Tabitha. "Tabitha, darling…What is it?"

"I just had a fight with mom and dad…I just didn't know where to go…"

"You did the right thing…," Serena said, suddenly sounding very mature. She waved her arms and in a second she was sitting, now fully dressed in a hip top and trousers, in a cosy-looking sofa. "Sit down and tell aunty everything," she said reassuringly, actually starting to like her more mature role Tabitha confided in.

Wiping away her tears Tabitha started telling Serena about the fight, and how hopeless she felt not being able to do as she wanted and always obeying her parents' rules.

"I just don't understand. The only reason why we have that stupid rule anyway is that dad had to come up with something so he won't feel inferior to mother. But just because he doesn't have any powers, he has no right asking, or demanding, us to give up ours. He's so selfish…"

Serena, not really being able to contradict that, actually got relieved when Tabitha continued talking, knowing that she really shouldn't talk bad about Tabitha's father, how little she even thought of him.

"And then mother who accepts no witchcraft. How can she do such a thing? I mean she's a witch too, and I know she can't keep herself from using her powers every now and then." Probably just wanting to get everything off her chest, Tabitha kept on talking never really giving Serena a chance to speak, whether she wanted or not.

"But just because mother's giving in to daddy's stupid rules, doesn't mean I have to. It feels as if they're depriving me on who I am," she explained. "I am a witch, nothing will change that."

Serena sighed with a mixture of concern and anxiety. Even if she really wanted to be able to help Tabitha and to be "the helpful aunt", Serena's experience as being the one people confined in was limited to zero and she had no idea what to say. But after she'd searched her brain for something good to say, thinking of what her understanding cousin herself would say in a situation like this, she a bit tentatively tried, "so have you tried talking to them?"

"It's no use…," Tabitha said with a sigh, totally unaware of Serena's insecurity. "They just want me to act as if I'm a typical mortal. They don't seem to get that I'm a witch and that I'll never be a mortal, even if I wanted to. Or they just don't want to get it…" Tabitha then added, more depressed, when thinking of the extremely hopeless situation she was in. And to think she was stuck in the situation made it even harder. "I can't believe I have to stay in that house for another couple of years, obeying their rules…," she then said despairingly, longing desperately to turn eighteen.

"Yeah it's a drag being stuck with your parents," Serena mumbled mostly to herself, remembering a time long, long ago, before she went on, "but even in the magic world you are obliged to do as your parents say. It's not until…" Serena suddenly stopped herself, feeling as if she'd almost said something she weren't allowed to say. "… later," she then abruptly finished. When noticing that Tabitha didn't seem to have notice Serena's side-step, she instead continued, "Why don't you talk to your mother about this anyway. She might understand. It couldn't hurt anyway."

"I don't know…," Tabitha sighed, feeling very doubtful that her mother would understand.

"Or I can talk to her if you want," Serena then suggested brightly, proud of her mature idea.

"Oh no, don't do that," Tabitha then hurriedly said. Even if there of course was a small chance Serena actually would make her mother understand, Tabitha didn't want to risk her parents to find out that she hanged out with Serena. Because if this was the dreary life she had to live with for the next couple of years, she really needed Serena to be able to run away to, whenever things were getting too hard on earth. But not wanting to hurt her aunt's feelings, she instead said, "Maybe I'll try to talk to her after all."

"All right," Serena agreed, not really knowing whether she would be disappointed or not that Tabitha dismissed her idea.

After they kept on talking for awhile Tabitha then sighed and said, "Maybe I better get back, before they start wondering where I went."

She hugged Serena tight, "Thanks, Serena. You're the best."

Hearing the recognition Serena smiled widely, despite the fact that she hadn't done much more than just listening, before she wished Tabitha good luck and Tabitha popped away.

**

* * *

**

Tabitha opened the door silently, nervous of probably getting another telling off from either or both of her parents for the fight earlier. When seeing her whole family sitting in the sofa watching TV, she looked down in the floor hoping to get away without an argument and went upstairs.

When seeing Tabitha going to her room, Samantha and Darrin exchanged knowing glances, before Samantha got up from the sofa and went upstairs.

She knocked carefully at Tabitha's door before she peeked inside, "Tabitha?"

Tabitha looked up from her book she had just opened and looked at her mother, suddenly feeling guilty of her earlier anger.

"Can I come in?"

Tabitha shrugged her shoulders but then made room beside her on the bedside and put the book away, thinking of what Serena said about talking to her mother.

"I'm sorry this is so hard for you Tabitha," Samantha started after she had seated herself next to her daughter. "But we _do _live in a mortal world and we'll have to adapt to that."

With no response from Tabitha continued, "All we wanted, and wants, for you and Adam is to have as much normal life you possible can."

"But I don't even want a normal life," Tabitha then suddenly complained. "I'm not normal, so how could I have a normal life?"

"Of course you're normal!" Samantha protested, feeling shocked of her daughter's thoughts.

"You're just as normal as any other teenage girl," Samantha tried to reassure her. "You may have some special gifts, but you're still normal."

"No, I'm not!" Tabitha stated matter-of-factly, feeling frustrated that her mother didn't seem to understand. "And I never will be!"

"How can you say such a thing?" Samantha tried reassuringly again and reached out to wipe away a string of hair from Tabitha's face, but as she did Tabitha turned her head away and complained, "You just don't understand…"

"Explain it to me then, and I'll try to understand," Samantha tried and let her hand fall to her lap, hoping Tabitha would open up.

"It's no use…"

Samantha sighed. "Can't you at least try?"

Not minding answering Tabitha instead silently said, not wanting to let her mother know she was close to tears, "can't you just go away?"

Samantha sat silently for a while just looking at her troubled daughter, feeling completely helpless. It really broke her heart seeing Tabitha like this but not knowing what to do; she kissed her softly on her forehead. "Ok, I'll go," she agreed and rose from the bed, "but you know I'm always here if you need me."

Tabitha nodded her head without leaving her eyes on the floor, as a tear fell down her cheek.

Samantha sighed again and lingered for awhile, just standing looking at her troubled daughter, before she left the room and closed the door behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

Samantha looked outside and as she saw the dark cloud spreading out around the moon and the keen wind blowing in the trees, the knot in her stomach she'd had more or less constantly felt since she figured out about Tabitha's ceremony, tighten up even more. She knew that the rituals often took place at full moon, so the condition outside really didn't cheer her up. The moon was already half full and with the increasingly dark clouds and growing wind, Samantha knew it wasn't long now until it was time. But the fact that Tabitha seemed to become more and more difficult, completely opposed Samantha's thought that Tabitha would be ready.

She pulled down the blind with an almost angry movement, not wanting to see the things happening outside. Absent-mindedly she walked over to the bed and sat down.

Darrin, who noticed that Samantha didn't seem to be quite herself, looked at her concerned, "Sam? Are you all right?"

Getting pulled back to reality by Darrin's voice, Samantha turned to him in bewilderment. "Oh, I'm fine," she tried to convince him and added a fake reassuring smile.

"I'm just concerned about Tabitha…," she then said anyway, knowing she couldn't hide that something indeed was on her mind.

"Yeah, I know," Darrin said and sighed while also he sat down on the bed next to Samantha. "I am too." Darrin's worry about his daughter had always been far from his wife's, since he explained that most of Tabitha's behaviour was a perfectly normal mortal teenage phase that soon would pass. Although now he had started worry more, obviously because of Tabitha's increasing talk and use of witchcraft. Even if Tabitha as a child used witchcraft often enough, her interest in magic seemed to have decreased as the years went by, and now Darrin couldn't even remember when she last used it, at least in his presence. This had of course been much to Darrin's delight, but to now hear his daughter's talk and use of witchcraft started worrying him. "I was actually happy she seemed to have gotten some friends again," he then continued. "But then she started all this magic talk, and now she's even using it…"

Samantha only nodded despairingly, actually being more concerned about other things, but knowing she couldn't tell Darrin she tried to at least keeping up with him.

"Do you know whatever brought it up?" Darrin looked at Samantha while wondering for himself if it maybe could have anything to do with her school assignment about the witch-hunt of Salem.

Samantha shook her head tiredly and stared straight out in the air. Apathetically she said, "Who knows what goes through her head…"

Seeing that his wife seemed completely washed out, Darrin put a reassuring arm around her shoulders and trying to comfort himself much as her, he said, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. It's probably just a phase that will pass soon enough."

Hearing Darrin's comforting words, Samantha gave him a reassured smile not wanting him to worry, even if she felt everything but reassured.

"Now let's go to sleep," Darrin suggested and went over to his side of the bed, after kissing Samantha lightly on the cheek.

Samantha sighed before she climbed into bed. She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep despite the thoughts occupying her mind.


	7. Chapter 7

Some days later, Samantha distractedly vacuum-cleaned the living room while Darrin was at work, Adam over at a friend's house, and Tabitha up in her room studying ambitiously. Then suddenly an unexpected visitor popped in just in front of her, making her jerk.

"Mother!" Samantha complained as she caught her breath from her mother's startling enter.

"Not caring about her daughter's obvious annoyed remark, Endora looked at the vacuum cleaner in disgust, "Still slaving around the house, eh?" Her disgusted look then turned into a more worried one, "Oh Samantha, whenever are you going to come to your senses and leave this dreary existence? It feels like a life time ago you married what's-his-name…"

"Almost seventeen years now," Samantha said proudly. "And that should prove it to you that I'm happy with Darrin and I'm staying put," she said matter-of-factly, although tiredly that her mother wouldn't give up this constant harp.

"Oh don't talk such nonsense!"

Samantha sighed. "Did you come here to nag on me, or were there some other purpose to your unexpected visit?"

Endora looked angrily at her daughter, "is that the welcome you get when you haven't seen your daughter for weeks?"

Samantha smiled a bit sheepishly, "Of course not, mother." She leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek. "How have you been?"

Finally getting the welcome she was hoping for, Endora smiled satisfied. "Oh I'm perfectly fine! But actually…," she then started earnestly, "I have some interesting news." She paused for a moment to build up a tension, before she went on, "I think there's some turbulence in the witches' council. I don't know what - you know how secretive they are - but I have gotten this distinct feeling lately that something is going on, maybe something that will affect the whole cosmos."

"Oh?" Samantha listened carefully, curious of the news, though feeling somewhat anxious, not really being up to any more changes.

"I haven't figured out what exactly, but mark my words something mighty important is happening…," Endora continued with a very much gravely tone.

Just as Samantha was about to ask something they got interrupted by Tabitha running down the stairs. "Grandmamma!" she cheerfully called happy to see her grandmother she hadn't seen in quite awhile.

Endora smiled when hearing her granddaughter's voice but when seeing Tabitha's controversial outfit and her hair hanging down around her face in a most untidy and messy style, she rushed over to her and gave her a reassuringly hug. "Dear child," she worriedly exclaimed. "What ever have happened to you?"

Tabitha looked surprised at her grandmother not really knowing what she was talking about.

"That's how kids look like nowadays, mother," Samantha explained, completely understanding Endora's shock, since it had been as much a shock for her when Tabitha first revolted with her controversial outlook.

Endora looked at Samantha in astonishment before she looked back at Tabitha. Tabitha looked down at her clothes, actually a bit surprised that her grandmamma seemed to agree with her parents about her new appearance.

"Oh this mortal impact on you is destroying you completely..." Endora sadly said, hugging Tabitha again.

"Don't be so dramatic, mother," Samantha defended. "You know perfectly well that many cosmos teens aren't much different."

Endora snorted, while trying to push away the messy hair from Tabitha's face. "Well she never even can get the chance to get an impact from those youths anyway, with the leash you have on her."

Even though she didn't liked being talked about as if she wasn't there Tabitha smiled contently when hearing her grandmother's opinions.

"Mother, that's unfair!" Samantha said feeling a bit offended.

"Well…," Endora innocently said and shrugged her shoulders, before dropping the subject and turned to Tabitha. "So what's new with my little Tabitha?"

Tabitha smiled again at the attention but then shrugged her shoulder by force of habit, "nothing much…"

"Oh, why so modest? Haven't I taught you differently?" Endora asked, as the two of them sat down in the sofa.

Tabitha giggled quietly, before she instead started talking cheerfully with her beloved grandmother.

Samantha watched surprised the change of character in Tabitha, and happily she recognized Tabitha as she knew her: joyful, happy and chatty. Not wanting to spoil her daughters sudden happiness Endora obviously had bring, Samantha excused herself and went into the kitchen to start on dinner.

**

* * *

**

After the three of them a couple of hours later finished lunch Samantha and Endora got left alone in the kitchen as Tabitha had to go back to her studies. When Samantha knew Tabitha was out of earshot, she turned to her mother.

"Mother?" Samantha said carefully, deciding this would be a good time for her to tell her mother about Tabitha's Evoluventus, and hopefully she could also tell her about her worries. "There's actually something I'd like to talk to you about…"

"Oh?" Endora looked at her daughter surprised.

"Well, I've gotten these signs…," Samantha started and looked down in her cup, "…and I think it's time for Tabitha's Evoluventus…"

When hearing the news Endora beamed up, "Oh, how marvellous! How absolutely marvellous!" But when seeing Samantha's troubled look on her face, she looked at her in surprise and almost disappointedly, thinking that her daughter's mortal influence had destroyed her judgement completely, "Don't say you're not happy for her?"

"Of course I'm happy for her!" Samantha protested.

"Then why aren't you rejoicing? To go through Evoluventus at Tabitha's age, is quite extraordinary, you must see that?"

"Yes, I know… But mother, I'm worried," Samantha confessed. "Tabitha hasn't been herself lately and I'm worried that it will affect the outcome of Evoluventus." Samantha looked at her mother pleadingly, yet relieved of finally getting it off her chest and being able to tell someone.

"What do you mean 'hasn't been herself'? If it's that outrageous outlook she has going on, you said yourself kids look like that nowadays."

"No, it's not that. It's that she's been so depressed lately. She goes around not talking to anyone and when she does it's always a surly or fierce remark."

"I don't understand what you're talking about… She was perfectly charming just now, as always."

"But that was a very rare occasion. Trust me; she's not herself at all…"

"Even so, you know as much as I do that Evoluventus doesn't happen until the witch is ready, and apparently Tabitha is."

"Yes I know…" Samantha pleaded, sensing that her mother didn't quite understand what she meant. "But what if her troubled mind will give an unjust picture of Tabitha, and she'd get judged because of it?"

"Nonsense. Tabitha is a smart girl and that is as plain as a day."

"But…" Samantha started to complain, but sensing her mother wouldn't understand anyway she let it go figuring she had to accept that it was something she had to bear herself. Instead she concernedly looked at her mother and wondered, "But she's so young… I wasn't this young at my Evoluventus was I?"

"No you wasn't," Endora said and looked a bit bewildered herself over the fact that Tabitha indeed was young. "But remember the coven did prove she had potential and that her powers were very, very strong. Maybe this proves it."

Actually remembering Tabitha's test result when she was no more than one, Samantha nodded. She hadn't really thought about it, and maybe it indeed had something to do with that. But still, it didn't feel right. Because whatever magical potential Tabitha might have, the fact that she was a very troubled girl could not be dismissed. And that was what was important, because that was what could mess up the Evoluventus result.

The unchanged worried expression on her daughter's face, despite the positive fact Endora just had brought up, actually concerned Endora. "Now don't you worry about it," she said unusually reassuringly, "and instead be happy for your daughter."

Samantha smiled vaguely, and even if her worries were still there she really wanted to be happy for Tabitha. Because even if Samantha did live as a mortal, this would be a most important moment in her life, and even if she worried for the day to come she in another way couldn't wait.

**

* * *

**

Tabitha was casually walking downstairs a couple of days later, when she could hear the voices of her grandmother and Serena in the kitchen. Delighted that not only her grandmother yet again had come for a visit but also to hear Serena visiting she speeded up her steps, but as she could hear the secretiveness in their voices she instead stopped just outside the kitchen door sharpening her ears, trying to figuring out what they were talking about. "Well whatever it is I think it's thrilling!" she heard Serena excitedly saying. "That witches' council has been such a drag for centuries. Finally something new starts to happen!"

"Serena! This is nothing to be excited about!" Tabitha heard her grandmother hiss annoyed. "It can turn into a revolt!"

"If only it didn't happen now…" It was now her mother's voice Tabitha could hear complaining, "Just as the Evoluventus is coming up..."

"Really?" Serena exclaimed as if she'd heard the most excitingly news. "Cool…" she then added, sounding as she'd very much satisfied settled with the news.

"Do you know how long it is until it's time?" Endora then wondered seriously.

"I don't think it's many days left now..." Samantha answered with a distinct tone of nervousness in her voice.

Curious of what they were talking about, but not feeling to good about eavesdropping, Tabitha pushed the kitchen door open. "Grandmamma! Serena!" she excitedly called as she entered the room. But when she noticed her grandmother abruptly closing her mouth as if she was just on her way saying something that she shouldn't say; her aunty Serena nervously looking down in the floor as she'd just been caught doing something very wrong; and her mother looking sternly at Serena as if to tell her to stop, Tabitha realized she'd walked in on a discussion that she wasn't allowed to be a part of.

"What are you talking about?" Tabitha challenged, hoping to get something out of them.

"Ehm, nothing…" Samantha hurriedly said, frantically searching her head for something believable to say, and in a second she continued, "You're grandmamma is just telling us about her trip to Timbuktu. Didn't she Serena?" Samantha looked sternly at her cousin.

Serena nodded her head frantically, "mmhmm, I would just love to go myself. Actually…," she said apparently getting an idea, "I think I will." She smiled and as she waved a quick goodbye she popped away.

"I'll better go as well. I'm late for my meeting at the Taj Mahal," Endora hurriedly explained, and after she'd swiftly kissed her daughter and granddaughter goodbye also she disappeared.

Not at all liking being lied to like that, Tabitha looked surly at her mother, thinking it must have been she that didn't wanted Tabitha to hear whatever they were talking about.

Acting as if nothing strange had happened or as if she didn't see the surly look from Tabitha, Samantha forced a smile and went over to the refrigerator. "Wonder what we'll have for dinner…"

Realizing it wouldn't be any idea trying to get something out of her mother she let out an angry "awww," before she rushed out.

Samantha closed the refrigerator door, not really looking what was inside anyway. She sighed as she looked at the door swiftly swinging back and fourth from Tabitha's hasty exit. Even if she was by now used to getting glary looks and muttering or angry remarks from Tabitha, this time it felt worse than usual. Not only did it feel bad keeping something from her, but also it hurt her to not being able to tell her daughter about the news that would most probably please her very much. But there was nothing else to do at this moment. She mustn't say anything until it was time. She shouldn't have to wait much longer now anyway. But despite the fact that she wished all of this would be over, her worries of Tabitha's increasing difficult behaviour had just been added by her own mother's news. The turbulence in the witches' council Endora had spoken about earlier now seemed worse than she thought before, and could most probably interfere with Tabitha's Evoluventus.


	8. Chapter 8

It was all dark in the Stephens house when Tabitha suddenly woke up from her sleep in her room. She sat up with a jerk, looking around her wondering what had caused her sudden disturbance. When not seeing nor hearing anything, she automatically pulled off her covers and walked over to the window. She looked out and when seeing the strong wind in the trees and the moon high up in the sky, she suddenly felt a strange urge of going outside. She grabbed her robe and put on her slippers before she silently padded outside not wanting to wake the rest of her family. As she opened the door to the patio the cold night air blew through her hair and at her skin. She took a deep breath before she sat down on the newly built terrace. Yet again she looked up at the dark scenery, and despite the gale and the somewhat dark clouds in the sky she couldn't help feeling it being a beautiful night.

And as she looked up at the almost-full moon that just got cleared from a dark cloud, she suddenly felt a strange feeling in her stomach that something would happen. First she got a bit scared of the feeling, but still it didn't felt as something bad would happen, just that something big would happen, something life-changing. Frantically she tried working out the feeling and what it tried to tell her, but then suddenly she jerked as she heard something behind her. "Mother!" She exhaled, trying to catch her breath, as she noticed it was only her mother.

"Tabitha! Whatever are you doing out here?" Samantha looked at her daughter with a worried look.

"I couldn't sleep," Tabitha said plainly and looked back at the much eventful sky.

"Well why don't you come inside and I'll make you some hot milk instead," Samantha said, just wanting her daughter to come inside from the storm.

"Nah, that's all right," Tabitha said as she stood up and started walking inside. "I'll just try to go back to sleep."

"All right," Samantha said and followed her. But before she entered the house she looked up at the restless sky and got a very certain gut feeling. A worried look spread across her face as she looked at Tabitha who now was on her way towards the stairs. She looked back at the sky. No, it was of course no doubt what it was, and it was more powerful than ever, Samantha noticed directly. It was actually unusually strong - and different somehow. Did Tabitha know? But how could she? She wasn't allowed nor able to know, so why would they give out signals to her as well? But then again, why had she been out here if she hadn't? Suddenly Samantha felt a strange mixture of excitement and uneasiness and closed the door abruptly as if to shut the feelings out, as so many times before. She wrapped her gown tighter around her as she felt a shiver down her spine, as she hurried up the stairs after Tabitha. Feeling the strong urge to reassure her that her daughter was ok, Samantha reached out for Tabitha just as she was on her way into her room. As Tabitha turned around, Samantha pulled her into an embrace, not caring about the probable protests she would get.

But despite that her mind opposed it, Tabitha couldn't deny it felt good to feel her mother's loving embrace again and hesitantly she hugged her lightly back.

Sensing Tabitha's response, Samantha tightened her embrace, not really wanting to let her go, both feeling an extreme worry of losing her while at the same time feeling a tremendous happiness of having her daughter close, as she hadn't had in a very long time. But as she regained her senses she let her go.

As they parted Tabitha looked at her mother in bewilderment, not really understanding what had happened. But when she saw the obvious worry in her mother's eyes, her puzzlement disappeared and instead she somehow felt guilt and concern for her mother. As just a minute ago, she automatically dismissed all usual thoughts she had about her parents and instead she let her senses take control. She smiled comfortingly, somehow wanting to reassure her mother that everything would be all right, and kissed her lightly on the cheek, before she turned around and went into her room to go back to bed. Samantha lingered in the hallway for a moment, taking everything in. For the first time in a very long time, Tabitha had shown affection towards her. Samantha couldn't even understand how good it felt to get some kind of recognition from the daughter she loved so much. Even if Samantha some how realized the moment was temporary and Tabitha would most probably go back to her normal difficultness the next day, Samantha would treasure the moment as long as it would to take for Tabitha to come around. Because she would sometime, Samantha now felt more certain of that. Just as Tabitha a moment earlier had did, Samantha walked into her bedroom, actually thinking that she would be able to sleep well for the first time in a very long time.


	9. Chapter 9

Samantha was correct about Tabitha going back to her normal difficultness the morning after. Acting as if nothing had happened last night, Tabitha was back to her usual depressed and troubled self, and as most days, no one saw much of Tabitha even this day, when she'd locked herself in her room directly after she'd came home from school. Tabitha sat in her room trying to study on a geography assignment, but as she let her fingertips softly run over the many books and maps that were spread out over the desk, Tabitha suddenly realized why she lately had felt as her efforts in school were meaningless and that something essential were missing. Her mortal ambitious studies throughout the years and her constant urge of learning new mortal things hadn't been enough. The mortal world where she'd always searched her knowledge from was not complete. The truth could be found elsewhere, in a different world or in a different time or place. And Tabitha had the opportunities and advantages to actually be a part of it. Suddenly she felt so fortunate. There was a whole different world out there, a world full of possibilities. A world where she could search for the exact truth and actually finding it. She could go back in time, cross the globe or travel through the infinite space. The possibilities were endless. Tabitha smiled for herself suddenly feeling extremely excited over her discovery and when realizing it had so obviously always been right in front of her she even let out a small giggle. How foolish she'd been. But when she heard her mother's and father's voices downstairs, she suddenly got back to reality. How could her parents keep denying this wonderful thing for her? How could they be satisfied living the way they did, when they both knew what possibilities that were out there? Her anger at her parents rose, yet she knew there would be no use talking to them. They wouldn't understand, she was sure of it. The situation suddenly seemed worse than ever, almost feeling as if she was trapped in a world she neither did or wanted to belong to.

Wanting to get out of the house she rushed downstairs.

"I'll go out for couple of hours," she simply said to her parents, who were sitting in the sofa, without looking at neither of them, afraid she wouldn't be able to stop herself for saying something that would start a fight.

"Where are you going?" Darrin called after her.

"Just out."

Darrin sighed, too tired of arguing. "Just be home before dinner!"

Tabitha mumbled "sure", before she exited the house and popped away.

**

* * *

**

"Serena?" Tabitha called as she popped in in cosmos and before she knew it, Serena was standing before her.

"Tabitha! What a great surprise! What's up?"

"I just realized the enormous benefits being a witch… I can do anything…It's amazing…," Tabitha said sincerely.

"Heeey!" Serena exclaimed excitedly and smiled contently. "That's awesome!"

"And I want to learn everything I can and don't let anything pass me by," Tabitha continued.

"You'll help me, won't you?"

"Of course! You name it and we'll do it!" Serena practically jumped up and down of excitement, looking even more excited than Tabitha felt.

"Can't you show me how to travel through time?" Tabitha said out of the air, just suggested one of the many things she wanted to learn.

Serena's wide smile suddenly faded and instead she looked at Tabitha suspiciously, "you've been travelling through time on your own before?"

"No, that's why I wanna go. I haven't been anywhere and I just realized I can't wait to go out and see what's out there."

"Well…," Serena cleared her throat, knowing this really wasn't her thing to teach Tabitha, and knowing Tabitha had to wait for a couple of days until she even would be ready. But never being very well with keeping her mouth shut, she continued troubled, "Then I don't think you're quite ready for it yet."

Not really hearing the answer she was hoping for, Tabitha looked at her disappointed, "Well then, when will I?"

"Ehmm…" Serena knew she really shouldn't answer that one, and relieved to dump it on her dear cousin she hurriedly said, "I'll think you'll better talk to your mother about that."

"What?" Not used to Serena being so secretive, Tabitha couldn't hide her disappointment. "I thought you would teach me everything my mother wouldn't… What so secretive about time-travelling?"

Really troubled that she couldn't help Tabitha, especially since she had come with such good news, Serena honestly said, "I am sorry, but I really don't have much choice. You'll just have to wait."

Sensing the seriousness in Serena's voice, Tabitha ceased reluctantly, not really knowing what to think. Never had she seen Serena so serious nor so secretive, Tabitha figured it had to be more to this than Serena tried to put on. "I can't believe this! You're almost starting to sound like mom!" she cried out in vain, not knowing what to do anymore.

"Tabitha…," Serena started bothered, starting to realize she might not be able to turn Tabitha over, "it's much more complicated than you think…"

"I bet it is!" Tabitha just said aggravated, desperately feeling as she'd hit rock bottom and within a second she popped away.


	10. Chapter 10

After the let down with Serena, Tabitha went back to the mortal world and all the excitement of her previous discovery, had all been replaced by complete hopelessness as well as disappointment at Serena. She just couldn't see why Serena hadn't helped her. It was so unlike her. Either Serena had been talking to Tabitha's mother, or something very strange was going on, Tabitha figured. Maybe that was what they had been talking about the other day.

But not letting her thinking of it any further, Adam fell down in the sofa next to her, "Tab, could you help me study to my history test?"

Tabitha looked at her brother not at all keen to help out but asked disinterested anyway, "what's it about?"

"The civil war." He said with a sigh, never really being into history, while he knew it was one of his sister's favourite subjects.

"Why don't you ask mom," Tabitha said provokingly, too tired to even try and hide her terrible mood, "she probably knows everything about it, considering she lived it."

Adam looked surly at his sister. "You know very well that daddy doesn't like us learning things from witchcraft!"

"Well why shouldn't we?" Tabitha asked a bit too angrily not being able to stand this any longer. "Don't you think it's wrong?" She looked at her little brother challenging, hoping in vain that he'd agree.

"Of course not. We're living in a mortal world and we're supposed to learn things the mortal way."

"You're just saying that, 'cuz you're not as much warlock as you could be!"

"I do not!" Adam shouted back at his sister, "I just happen to agree with mom and dad!"

"You're such a whimp, Adam! Always taking sides."

"No I don't! And I'm not a whimp! You're just plain mean!"

"Well I rather be that than a whimp!"

Before Adam could reply, Samantha and Darrin rushed out from the den and into the living room, obviously noticing the fight between their children.

"Stop it, you two!" Darrin matter-of-factly stated. "I will not have this shouting around here!"

Tabitha and Adam fell silent hearing their strict father's voice, as Adam silently said, "We're sorry…"

Tabitha on the other hand glared at her brother, not at all being ready to give up the fight, but luckily this was unseen by Darrin and Samantha.

"What's this all about anyway?" Samantha wanted to know as Tabitha and Adam seemed to have cooled off, and looked at her children.

"Nothing…," Adam murmured, not wanting the discussion about witchcraft being known to their parents, knowing that would probably only make things worse.

"It wasn't _nothing_ at all, and you know it!" Tabitha growled to her brother, before she looked straight at her father. "Why don't you want us to learn the truth? Do you really want us to be less educated than we could be?"

"What are you talking about?" Darrin looked puzzled at her.

"You may not like it or agree but Adam and I _have _the possibilities to learn the complete truth and I don't want to let that pass me by."

"Don't bring me into this…," Adam said worriedly and then looked at his parents pleadingly, "I tried to make her stop…"

"Well all right then…," Tabitha continued, not at all feeling up to defending Adam if he'd be such a coward, "maybe Adam likes being ignorant, but _I _like to learn things, and I'm sick of solely be taught some stuff from some stupid history books, when I _know_ I can often get a more accurate truth from mom!"

When hearing Samantha being mentioned, Darrin looked at his wife puzzled, still not understanding what Tabitha was talking about. But looking as much puzzled herself, Samantha looked at her daughter in bewilderment, "What?"

"Well, you've lived through most of our history," Tabitha simply said, as if it was the most obvious thing. "Of course you would have a more accurate picture than some lost history professors that don't know what they're talking about!"

Samantha let out an anxious smile, now understanding what this was about. Just as she and Darrin had tried to limit the talk of witchcraft with their children as much as possible, Samantha had also gotten used to not speak about her past. But when Tabitha, now obviously old enough to defy her parents' ways yet again, brought Samantha's past up, she felt the situation becoming most uncomfortable. Especially since it caught her so off guard. "But Tabitha, it's impossible even for me to be at all of the places at the same time. I only know very little about very few places and events. And besides, I'm not _that_ old…"

"Yeah well, all right." Tabitha agreed reluctantly, but not giving up the fight she continued challenging, "But what about the things you actually experienced? Like the time when I was in the 6th grade and you said yourself that my history book weren't true. That you were at the Boston Tea Party and you said it didn't t all happened as the book said!"

Darrin looked at Samantha in surprise, this being unpleasant news to him. Feeling his upset eyes on her, she gave him a look back to cool it for now, not really wanting to handle them both at this moment, before she turned to Tabitha again.

"Well Tabitha," Samantha started unsure, not really knowing how to get this out in a good way, satisfied by everyone, "I didn't mean it didn't completely happen that way. I just said I saw the event in a different way. Either way could be true…"

"You're just saying that. You know I'm right," Tabitha daringly said.

Actually knowing Tabitha was right, Samantha searched her brain of what to say that could get herself out of the mess without neither lying nor confessing completely. But with no chance of saying a thing Tabitha continued sarcastically, "but even if you were, it wouldn't matter 'cuz you could always go back and see for yourself! Or at least let me go back and see for myself!"

Darrin looked at her angrily, "Tabitha, how many times do I have to tell you? In this family we do not use witchcraft!"

"That's just selfish! Just because you can't use witchcraft you have no right telling me not to!"

"Yes I have! I am you father, and as long as your underage you'll do as I say," Darrin said dictatorially.

"But I _am_ a witch, and you're turning me into any other mortal!"

"There is nothing wrong with being a mortal!" Darrin protested too fired up to actually listen to what Tabitha was saying.

"Yes there is! You're all a bunch of selfish, ignorant fools that…"

Before either Tabitha could continue or Darrin could protest Samantha raised her voice, thinking that Tabitha crossed the line, "Tabitha, that's your father you're talking about!"

"Well, he _is _a selfish and ignorant mortal, and he _does _force me to be just as ignorant!"

"Tabitha! Samantha yelled, "now you'll stop it!"

But not being able to control herself, Tabitha blurted out all of her anger, "And you're just as bad, giving in to his stupid rules! I hate you both!"

"Tabitha!" Darrin now joined in on the fight again, "did you not hear your mother?! You will stop this instant! I will not have you talking like this in this house!"

"Well, it's no use me hanging around then!" Tabitha shouted back, before she in a flash of the moment disappeared into thin air, not wanting to stay another second.

"Weeell!" Samantha uttered, feeling shocked, angry and hurt of Tabitha's behaviour. Never had she seen her daughter this way, and never did she ever think she could speak to her parents in that way.

She looked at Darrin, and when seeing that he looked at her almost accusingly, she glared back at him, partly because of the lingering angriness at Tabitha and partly because of his expression. "What?" she asked irritated.

"This must be your mother's doing!" he said as if it was the obvious thing.

"This has nothing to do with my mother!"

"Didn't you hear she sounded just like Endora? She's put a spell on her or something, just to spite me!"

Just as Samantha was about to protest, Darrin went on irrationally, "or maybe it's Serena or someone…" As always when something bad happened he thought one of Samantha's relatives had something to do with it.

As Samantha was about to reply, she yet again got interrupted, this time by Adam, who'd sunken deeper and deeper down in the sofa of all the fighting. Carefully he suggested, "I actually saw Tabitha popping off with Aunty Serena the other day…"

Samantha looked at Adam, and all her anger at Tabitha now suddenly turned at Serena. Immediately she put her fingers to her temples, closing her eyes and started chanting with an angry tone. "Serena, you appear for me this instant, or I'll…"

No more had to be said before Serena popped in, "Sammy, what's the big emergency?"

Not letting Samantha answer, Darrin looked at Serena severely, "Serena, what have you done with Tabitha!?"

Hearing the unjust accusation, Serena looked at Samantha standoffishly, "if there was something you would like to talk to me about, you're welcome joining me somewhere else. 'Because I won't stay here with that airhead," she said and nodded angrily at Darrin.

Samantha glared at Darrin of his tactlessness, but actually thinking it would be best to have the discussion just with the two of them, Samantha looked back at Serena and in a second they were gone.

As they landed in cosmos, Samantha looked fiercely at Serena, "so what have you done with Tabitha?"

Serena cleared her throat, getting a bit nervous when noticing that her cousin's temper wasn't much better than Darrin's. Although anxious Samantha had found out about hers and Tabitha's escapades through the different cosmos, Serena looked at her cousin in puzzlement, as if she had no idea what this was about. "Cos', what are you talking about?"

Samantha cooled off a bit when sensing Serena didn't really seem to know what she was talking about, but just as well looked sternly at Serena. "I want the truth Serena. Have you put these rebellious ideas into Tabitha's head?"

"What ideas?"

"She has turned her complete back to her mortal heritage calling mortals ignorant fools and all kinds of bad things, and all of a sudden she keeps talking about and even using witchcraft. And what's worse is that she's lost all possible respect. Is it yours doing?"

"Of course not," Serena simply stated, now knowing this wasn't about hers and Tabitha's escapades to cosmos. Because even if Serena could understand where these 'ideas' came from, she knew it had nothing to do with Tabitha's recent debut visit to the cosmos. Tabitha came to cosmos in the first place because of just those thoughts.

"But Adam said he'd seen you and Tabitha popping off the other day," Samantha implied.

Realizing her cousin actually did know about her escapades with her daughter, Serena squirmed. "Well all right, all right," she confessed. "I have been seeing Tabitha every now and then, showing her around the cosmos, but that's just because…"

Before she could continue, Samantha accused unreasonable, "Then it is you!"

"Sammy, cool it!" Serena coldly stated hearing her cousin for once being totally irrational. And when seeing Samantha actually calming down Serena continued, feeling as she for the first time was the sensible of the two. "For once has this nothing to do with me," she stated, actually a bit surprised herself that she for once could be sure that she wasn't the one to blame. "Yes, Tabitha has come to me but that is simply because she obviously needs someone to talk to," she then added a bit patronizingly.

Although surprised of the news that her daughter had been talking to Serena, Samantha tried to keep to the point, "But why this sudden disrespect for the mortal world? Don't try to tell me you have nothing to do with _that_?"

"But that's just the point…," Serena simply, but contented answered, feeling as if she was the superior one in the discussion, as she stretched out in an odd-looking arm chair she zapped up, "…I _haven't_ a thing to do with it. It's all her doings."

Samantha looked at her cousin puzzled, getting the feeling that Serena did not only tell the truth but also knew things Samantha didn't know about. Looking as confused as she felt she sat down as well in another zapped-up arm chair, hoping her cousin would go on.

Seeing her cousins puzzled look, Serena sighed deeply, realizing she didn't seem to get it. "She's a smart girl, Sammy…," she started, a bit annoyed that she had to spell it out to Samantha, "…of course she won't settle with things without questioning! You never did think she'd satisfy with your way of living for her rest of her life did you?"

Although taken a bit a back at first, Samantha looked at her cousin uncertainly, realizing she really hadn't thought about that. "Well, I don't know…," she then answered automatically.

Even if it was far from anything she'd expected from herself, Serena couldn't deny noticing that a strong, but very unfamiliar, feeling of consideration of Tabitha made her not really satisfied with her cousin's poor reply. But not really dealing with the strange feeling of unselfishness, Serena went on as on per automatic, "she's almost grown up and she just wants to find out for herself how she wants to spend her life..."

As the meaning of her cousin's statements really started to get to her, Samantha didn't even noticed Serena's change of character. Instead she just looked bewildered at her cousin, trying to make sense of what she actually was saying.

"But to do that she has to figure out whom she is." Serena sighed, again completely surprising herself of her own maturity, before she looked straight at Samantha, "and she won't do that if you'll go on denying her half of her personality…"

Hearing these last words Samantha felt a sudden sting in her heart, as she suddenly realized what Tabitha had meant earlier. "We've never meant to do that," she stammered. "We just wanted her and Adam to have a normal childhood…"

"Of course you did what you thought was best for her, but she's a witch Sam!" Serena looked at her cousin bewildered by her ignorance, "How could she have a normal childhood in a mortal world?"

Samantha looked unconfidently at her cousin, suddenly feeling as if she'd done all the wrong decisions. "But it's been working fine just until recently…," she lied to herself, as if to make things a bit better.

"You think?" Serena said a bit sarcastically.

Hearing Serena's doubtful tone, Samantha could no longer deny it. As the past rushed through her head, Samantha's eyes started watering as she realized that it probably was her and Darrin's fault that Tabitha had been so miserable.

Seeing that Samantha obviously started realizing things, Serena studied her cousin wondering for awhile what would come next, but then she figured that she maybe could clarify things even further. "Have you ever listened to her songs?" Serena curiously, but doubtfully, wanted to know, not really knowing whether it would help or hurt to bring it up.

"No…," Samantha said, stunned to hear that Tabitha had her own songs. Instinctively she felt an even bigger guilt that she didn't even know such an important thing about her own daughter.

"Well, it's all in there," Serena simply stated. "All the thoughts and ideas, and all the confusion and agony. Not so distinctively, but it's all in there." Somehow Serena could deep down understand that Samantha and Darrin didn't want Tabitha to use her witchcraft, but what she really couldn't understand was how they couldn't see why Tabitha was so miserable and that was what disturbed her. But maybe it wasn't that hard to understand after all, Serena then thought disappointedly, since it seemed as if Samantha hadn't fought too hard to understand Tabitha, considering she hadn't even tried to learn about Tabitha's music, the music that was such a big part of Tabitha's life. "You really should listen to them sometime…," Serena then added, not hiding the accusing tone.

Samantha just stared at her cousin, but as the shock let go everything seemed to crash down on her. "Oh, my goodness!" Samantha then cried desperately, "What have we done?"

Hearing her cousin overreacting and looking a bit too distressed than even Serena thought she deserved, she couldn't help but soften up a bit towards her cousin. But not really wanting to let her cousin see her soft-side, Serena instead said unconcerned, "Sammy, don't be such a drama queen. You haven't destroyed her completely…"

Despite Serena's somewhat untactical statement, hearing Serena's unserious self again Samantha felt more as her relaxed self as well, and as she in a normal situation would do at a statement like that she glared at her cousin. But then she turned more serious again and looked straight at her cousin. "Serena, you have to tell me everything you know. I really have to straighten this mess out."

Serena sighed nonchalant, trying to act as if a long and deep conversation was the last thing she wanted. She couldn't deny it for herself though, that she actually would be happy to help her cousin so she could sort everything out with Tabitha. "Oh, well…," she sighed anyway, trying to strengthen her disguise to sound bored, "so what d'ya wanna know?"

"Everything," Samantha simply said, as if it was clear as a day.

Serena thought for a second wondering where to start, but as soon as she began all the rest just followed. And as time went by, Serena somehow dropped more and more of her normal carefree character and turned more and more considerate and mature, and despite how hard it was for Samantha to hear some things, she listened carefully trying to understand.

After they had been talking for well over an hour, Samantha had not only started to feel as if things were clearer but she also started feeling more certain and light headed. And even though she couldn't help but feel a bit envy of Serena, hearing how well her own daughter had confined in her, she felt happy that Serena had been there for Tabitha. And although she couldn't understand how mature and serious Serena behaved she felt very much thankful to her cousin.

But as they were about to part, Serena looked at Samantha big eyed, as if she waited for her to tell her something exciting and complimenting. But when she didn't, Serena couldn't stop herself from bring it up herself, "So what do you think?"

Samantha looked at her cousin puzzled, not at all knowing what she was talking about. "About what?"

"Well, haven't you noticed…," Serena started, a bit disappointed her cousin hadn't mentioned it but then instead turned a bit cockish, "…that _I_ have had a perfectly mature and controlled conversation, and that _I_ have actually comforted and supported _you_?"

Samantha smiled, hard from bursting out laughing, from her cousin's obviously childish pride over herself. "Yes, you've been very mature Serena," Samantha said as she talked to a five year old, thinking that whatever maturity Serena previously had, it had all went back to normal. "It's been a nice change."

Not really noticing, or at least not wanting to notice her cousin's amusing tone, Serena chuckled boastingly for herself.

But not having time to stay much longer Samantha then hugged her cousin, thanking her for being there for Tabitha and now also for Samantha, before she popped back to her home, in strong need to talk to her daughter.

**

* * *

**

Samantha sat down heavily on the bed in the lonely bedroom. After she came back from Serena, and after they've searched for Tabitha in both mortal and magical places, she and Darrin had had a long discussion about what Serena told her, and without much discussion they concluded that they really had to look at things in a different way. But that was now several hours ago, and no one - including all the possible witches and warlocks she might have had run away to - had seen the slightest sign of Tabitha and Samantha had now become quite worried. Thinking the worst she figured that it either meant that she wouldn't come back any time soon, based on how angry she was when she left, or that something bad had happened. Oh, why hadn't she figured it out before, then she could have talked to Tabitha and tried to sort things out, she thought, blaming herself. Although not feeling much better himself, Darrin had tried his best to comfort Samantha and convincing her, as well as himself, that Tabitha would soon come back and they could sort everything out. But as the hours went by, Samantha felt nothing but reassured.

"Oh where is she?" Samantha said worrisome for herself and jumped up from the bed, too worried to sit still, as she went over to the window and peeked outside, hoping in vain to see her daughter coming home. But seeing the rain absolutely pouring down, her worry did everything but disappear. But luckily her worries got interrupted by Darrin entering the bedroom. Samantha turned around and when seeing him smiling, she looked hopefully at him. "Is she home?"

"Yes," he said and nodded, relieved to have his daughter safe and sound home again. "She's in her bed, sleeping peacefully."

Wanting to see for herself that Tabitha indeed was ok, Samantha hurried over to Tabitha's room, followed by Darrin. As she saw Tabitha sleeping peacefully in her bed, Samantha smiled and felt an enormous feeling of relief.

"Let's let her sleep. We can talk to her tomorrow…" Darrin then said quietly, not really having the heart to wake her up.

"Mhmm," Samantha agreed, not leaving her eyes from her daughter.

Darrin put an arm around Samantha, and as they stood looking at their daughter they both felt certain things would indeed turn out fine. "She must have slipped in when we weren't looking…" Darrin then whispered, not really feeling upset that his daughter hadn't let them know. "…or popped," he then added with a hesitant smile.

Samantha looked up at him, feeling happy that he tried to adjust. When seeing him smiling back at her she kissed him lightly on the cheek, before she looked back at the sleeping Tabitha.

A couple of seconds later Darrin turned around as if to leave, but when noticing Samantha didn't budge, he looked at her puzzling. "Are you coming?"

Samantha looked back at him, "in a minute."

As Darrin left, Samantha padded over to Tabitha. "Oh Tabitha…why didn't you tell me?" she whispered to her sleeping daughter, feeling a sting in her heart really thinking things could be a whole lot different if she'd just realized.

But as the thunder was rumbling outside she automatically looked at the window and her all too well-known gut feeling telling the Evoluventus was approaching sent shiver through her whole body. But sensing something more than all the other times, she hesitantly looked back at Tabitha, almost too afraid of what she'd find out. And as she saw her daughter's peaceful sleep, an overwhelming feeling washed over her, and she knew. She knew it was time. Not only did she see, but also did she feel it in her entire body that this was the night. Not being at ease with her feelings for much longer than a couple of minutes, Samantha's worries came back to her. Even though she herself thought she understood what had been troubling Tabitha lately, she doubted Tabitha was at ease with herself, and that was what mattered. Although she did distinguish a new feeling, a feeling that any parent would feel the day before their child would go through something extraordinary, namely pride. Letting the latter take the upper hand over the other feelings of worry, Samantha smiled, kissed her daughter lightly on the forehead. Wanting her to get as much sleep as possible before she had to wake her up, she went back to her own bedroom.

* * *

I hope you like the story so far! The following chapters will be up shortly.

Oh, and any feedback, good or bad, are more than welcome!


	11. Chapter 11

But as Samantha deep in thoughts walked back into her bedroom and saw Darrin, something hit her. She had to tell him. The time was up, and that meant it was also time to tell him.

When noticing Samantha entering the room, Darrin gave her a quick glance, before he searched for his pyjama in his drawer and started talking. "I know we'll have to do a lot of changes, but still we have to be firm with Tabitha," he said, not leaving his eyes from what he was doing.

Samantha sat silently down on the side of the bed, staring out in the air, suddenly feeling very nervous, not really paying any attention to what Darrin was saying. "mmhmm…," she mumbled absent-mindedly.

"I mean she can't go on twitching whenever she wants something…" Darrin continued not really noticing Samantha's distance. He walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed as he went on, "and she has to be very careful."

Samantha heard Darrin kept on talking in the bathroom, but her minds went elsewhere. As Darrin a while later came back into the bedroom, he stopped what he was saying and sighed anxiously, "Oh boy, this is gonna be tough…" But when he noticed Samantha distressed staring out in the air he stopped and looked concerned at her. "Sam?" He asked. "Are you all right?"

"Oh…" Samantha jerked when hearing her name. "I'm fine," she then added unconvincingly.

"Don't worry, we'll manage somehow," Darrin said and sat down beside her, convinced Samantha was concerning about what he had been talking about.

"Oh, of course we will," Samantha said and gave him a reassuring smile, not ever doubting they wouldn't. But as she noticed all attention was on her she knew it was no use lingering with what she had to say. "Actually…" she hesitantly said as she squirmed, not really knowing how to start. "It's something I have to tell you."

He looked at her in puzzlement, suddenly feeling very nervous, knowing it was rarely any good news when Samantha had something to tell him. "Well, what is it?" he said and gathered courage.

"You know how the weather has been a bit worried these last weeks?" Samantha started carefully.

"Yeah…," Darrin answered tentatively, not really expecting she would talk about the weather.

"Well, it actually has a very logical explanation."

"Oh?" Darrin's nervousness was now turning into a more anxiousness, now knowing that this was a conversation that would lead to something supernatural. And if it was one day he didn't need any more supernatural news it was today.

"It has actually nothing to do with meteorology; it is just a way for the witches' council to externalise something they want to tell me."

"And what's that?" Darrin said tiredly, by now being used to hearing illogical things like that.

Samantha was silent for a second before she tentatively said, "that it's time I bring Tabitha in for her Evoluventus…"

Darrin just looked at her puzzled, "bring Tabitha in for her WHAT?"

"Her Evoluventus," Sam repeated. "You see, when a young witch or warlock is growing up it comes a time when they'll have to go through this kind of ritual, or ceremony, which is called Evoluventus." Hurriedly, as if to get it over with as quickly as possible Samantha continued to briefly explain about the ceremony.

Darrin just looked at her wearily, trying to understand, but mostly he just felt confused of this ever going business that went on in a different world.

"It's really nothing to be concerned about, it's actually a very big moment for both the witch and her parents…," Samantha continued.

"I assume this has something to do with all that's been going on today?"

Now it was Samantha who looked puzzled. "Well…no, not really. This has been set for quite some time, so it's more or less coincidental that all of this happened today. It might not be the best timing, but that's the way it is."

They were still for a while before Darrin broke the silence. "Well..," he sighed. "I guess this is something of those things you'll just have to do right?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes."

So when will this thing be?"

"ehh…," Samantha looked down on her feet sheepishly before silently saying, "tonight…"

"Tonight!?"

"Well a bit past midnight…I wanted to tell you before, but no one that hasn't gone through it themselves is allowed to know. They've made an exception for you, if I waited until just before," Samantha hurriedly explained. "And I just got the final signs when I was in with Tabitha that tonight is the night."

Darrin sighed, letting it all sink in.

"You really should be proud of her though," Samantha said tentatively, hoping to make Darrin a bit more understanding, "most people aren't ready until much later."

"Darrin forced a vague smile, "if you say so…"

Samantha smiled gratified, happy that Darrin took all of her supernatural-things relatively well, and kissed him lightly on the cheek before they went to bed. Even if Samantha had been hoping that she would be able to talk to Tabitha before the Evoluventus, she knew there was no longer any chance that they would clear everything up before, so maybe it was better to wait altogether. Because now when she knew the causes to Tabitha's troubles, she did feel a bit more confident that the judgement wouldn't be unjust. Still she would try to steal some minutes to at least let Tabitha know that she was sorry, but that could wait until just before.


	12. Chapter 12

"Tabitha?" Samantha whispered as she stood by Tabitha's bed trying to wake her up. "Tabitha?" she tried again, and this time Tabitha suddenly opened her eyes. She looked around her in bewilderment of the unusual sight. It wasn't so much her mother standing before her in her flying costume, but more the strange glow that encircled them, making her mother almost looking invisible.

"Mom?" Tabitha sat up in shook, almost looking scared. "What's going on?"

"It's time," Samantha simply, yet mysterious, whispered.

"Time for what?"

"Time for your Evoluventus."

"What? I don't understand…"

"There's no time for questions. Just put your flying costume on and let's go."

Understanding this was the rare exception her mother would let her use her witchcraft, Tabitha twitched her nose and in a flash of a second she was standing beside her mother fully dressed in her clear blue and black flying costume.

Samantha smiled. "Now, come on." She reached out her hand for Tabitha to take, and as they joined hands they disappeared.

**

* * *

**

Samantha and Tabitha flew in silence for awhile, as thoughts rushed through Tabitha's head. Not knowing at all what was going on and not even believing it could be happening, she turned to her mother and asked awkwardly, "this is just a dream right?"

Samantha smiled widely at her daughter's suggestion. "No sweetheart, it's not a dream."

Tabitha looked down at the earth below sheepishly. "So what is it then?"

"Be patient, we're soon there."

Tabitha went silent, keeping all her confused questions to herself, figuring things would get clearer soon enough, and before she knew it her mother slowed down and landed. Tabitha did as her mother but when she looked around her, the earlier confusion grew bigger. They were standing in a dark small passage with ends that seemed to go through eternity. Although she couldn't actually see anything, she somehow felt as she could see everything, and although it was completely silent it felt as if she could hear everything perfectly clear. "Where are we?"

"We're in Zamboas, just outside the witches' council."

Seeing the confused look on Tabitha's face Samantha explained, "Zamboas is kind of like limbo between all the cosmos and between all the worlds."

"So what are we doing here?"

Thoroughly Samantha explained to Tabitha about the Evoluventus and that Tabitha was ready to become a full-fledged witch.

Tabitha looked at her mother with her big blue eyes trying to take everything in.

"You'll understand it more in just awhile," Samantha then said, understanding it couldn't be easy for Tabitha to understand. "But we do have some minutes until it's time." Even if she knew they hadn't much time until the Evoluventus would start, Samantha felt that the two of them had to at least mention yesterday.

But just as Samantha was about to start, Endora interrupted by popping in just beside them.

"Mother!" Samantha explained startled and a bit annoyed of her mother's timing. "What are you doing here?"

Endora looked at a bit distressed, "I'm sorry, but there's something I think I should tell you before it's time…"

But as Endora turned to Tabitha, she stopped with what she was saying, when seeing her granddaughter all dressed in her flying costume, ready for the Evoluventus. "Oh Tabitha!" she exclaimed, almost looking a bit moved as she hugged her tight. She then put her on arm length and looked at her, "you look so beautiful! You really are the spotting image of your mother when she was young…," she then added a bit nostalgic.

Hearing that Samantha smiled proudly and looked at her daughter as well, but as thunders were heard in the distance, Samantha got brought back to reality, realizing there was no time for small talk. A bit distressed she looked at her mother, wanting her to go on, so she would be able to talk to Tabitha before it was time.

"Mother, time is closing in. What was it that you wanted to say?"

Understanding the stressful situation also Endora got back to reality and looked at Samantha in an almost worried expression. "I just came back from a meeting with a former witches' council member and he told me some distressing news, ignorant as he may be…," Endora said a bit conceited. "I don't know if it is causes to worry, but he, among with a couple of others just left the council because obviously there has been a decision that not everyone seems to agree with."

Samantha, only having Tabitha's Evoluventus in concern, looked distressed at her mother,

"Good grief! Do you think it will conflict with the ceremony?"

Endora frowned sounding almost a bit worried, "I don't know. I certainly hope not."

"Oh, why does this have to happen now?" Samantha complained.

Sensing something was obviously wrong Tabitha looked at her grandmother and then her mother, "what is it?"

"Well…it seems to be a bit of turbulence in the council and we're concerned it will affect your ceremony," Samantha said truthfully, realizing Tabitha had the right to know.

"What does that mean?" Tabitha wondered nervously.

"We don't now sweetheart," Samantha answered absent-minded, but then she smiled reassuringly, "I'm sure it's nothing."

But as the thunder was heard again, this time louder and consistent, Samantha jerked nervously and looked up in the air with a stressed expression on her face. "Oh my stars!" she exclaimed nervously for herself, starting to realize there were even less time for hers and Tabitha's chat than she had hoped for.

She looked stressed at her mother, really needing her to go, but just as she was about to speak Endora cut her off. "Don't worry. I'm going," she said sounding a bit offended even if she understood the situation perfectly. She turned to Tabitha and smiled sincere. "Good luck," she said before she was gone.

And as Endora vanished, Samantha looked at her daughter. "Now Tabitha, I was hoping we could have a talk before your Evoluventus, but since time is closing in we will just have to make the best of it."

"All right," Tabitha nodded, and was actually as disappointed as her mother that they wouldn't have time to talk before the ceremony. Because just as her mother seemed to want to talk to her, Tabitha felt a strong urge to talk to her mother as well, hoping to sort things out. Especially since she in just awhile would experience such a big thing, a magical thing nonetheless.

"But Tabitha, about yesterday…," Samantha then started seriously and looked straight at her daughter.

Fully prepared that yesterday's incident was what her mother wanted to talk about, Tabitha was quick to reply, "I'm sorry, mom, I really am." Ever since she'd left after the fight yesterday she'd felt an enormous guilt and she knew she had been out of line and that she owed her parents an apology. She still believed in what she had said, at least parts of it, but she knew she had had no right speaking to her parents like that. "I know I was out of line…" She paused for a second before she continued, "And I'm sorry I said those things about you and dad. I didn't really mean it…"

Samantha smiled vaguely, hearing Tabitha confession. "That's all right Tabitha. We know you didn't. But you really mustn't leave like that," she then added more firmly. "You worried us half to death."

"I know…I'm sorry," Tabitha said guiltily and looked down in the floor.

Again Samantha smiled, feeling confident Tabitha wouldn't do it again. But then she turned serious. "But that's not what I want to talk to you about."

"It's not?" Tabitha looked surprised as well as a bit worried at her mother, as the discussion she'd prepared herself for since yesterday didn't seem to go as she'd pictured it. She had prepared herself for a real telling-off but somehow her mother didn't seem to be as angry as she had the right to be. Something strange was going on. Maybe it was because of the Evoluventus, or maybe it was something else. But whatever it was, it made Tabitha nervous. She looked at her mother, trying to gain confidence for what was to come.

"No, not entirely anyway," Samantha started but as she was about to go on a big loud toll that thundered in the passage cut her off. Samantha looked up in the air with a distressed expression on her face. She looked back at Tabitha. "It's time…", she simply said and forced a smile. Even if it distressed her that she hadn't been able to talk to Tabitha as she'd wanted to, she knew there was nothing she could do anymore. Tabitha would have to go through the Evoluventus without their chat. But still she had to let her know that she and Darrin understood. "But I want you to know…," she started and looked deep into her daughters eyes, "that I - and your father - think we understand why you've been so troubled, and we're sorry for putting you through all this. You are a witch and you're old enough to decide whether you want to live like one."

Tabitha just looked stunned at her mother not knowing what to say, not at all expecting this.

Instead Samantha continued, "But we'll talk more afterwards. I just had let you know now that we're truly sorry, and that we never meant to hurt you."

"Oh…," Tabitha just managed to say, still looking bewildered at her mother. But almost as if reminding them both of where they were a giant door opened in the dark passage beside them.

Tabitha stared at the door, then back at her mother, still being a bit caught off guard. "Is that why…," she started intuitively and looked back at the door.

But not letting her finish, Samantha interrupted. "No," she said and shook her head. "Your Evoluventus has nothing to do with this. It's been decided for a very long time, and I didn't realize what's been bothering you until last night."

Even if she still didn't quite understand, Tabitha nodded her head.

Seeing the confused expression on her daughter's face, Samantha smiled reassuringly and tried to explain, "now don't worry about that. We'll talk more about it later. The only thing that matters now is you're Evoluventus. All right?" she then asked and searched her daughter's eyes with hers, to reassure her as much as possible.

Trusting her mother implicitly Tabitha pushed her confusions away and instead focused on here and now. But when realizing what was about to happen in just a matter of a moment, she looked nervously at her mother. Even though she had felt an extraordinary excitement when her mother told her about this magical ceremony, she couldn't deny that what she mostly felt at this time was fright.

Knowing how it felt going through such a big event in ones life, Samantha smiled supportively back at her daughter, "don't worry, Tabitha. You're a very smart and talented witch. You'll do fine."

Hearing that, Tabitha smiled back. And maybe it was unknowingly to her mother but to Tabitha it was not the complimenting and comforting words her mother just said that filled her with confidence, but the fact that she'd called Tabitha a witch.

As the tolling grew even clearer Samantha put a reassuring arm around her daughter as they walked through the door and into an indefinitely space at the council.


	13. Chapter 13

"Tabitha?" they heard a dominant voice call out as they had entered the dark and foggy premise. "Tabitha," it said again as a stand appeared out of thin air, "take your place".

Tabitha looked insecurely at her mother, suddenly feeling extremely nervous again. Samantha smiled to her daughter, and then gave her a reassuring nod as if to go on.

Tabitha smiled back tentatively, and insecurely she popped over to the big podium.

As she had taken the place the voice rumbled, "Tabitha, you are summoned her to be judged….You will take a journey and go back to once it all began, hundreds and hundreds of years ago. From there you'll go through time and space and through the heritage of yours and all the witches' before you. It will be a journey of knowledge, knowledge you will always keep with you…"

The voice kept on ranting, and as Tabitha listened carefully not to miss a single word, she went more and more nervous. But as the speech drew to its end, Tabitha's nervousness had strangely enough mostly been replaced by excitement and a strange feeling of responsibility.

"…and with your return you will have all the basic knowledge you'll need to become the full-fledged witch as you'll strive to become." The voice died out, and then the room went dark, except from a bright light around Tabitha's stand.

"Are you ready?" The voice then thundered.

Tabitha swallowed hard, and then nodded a bit insecurely. But as she confident and clearly said "I am" a second later, she was nothing but insecure.

Within a flash of a second she was gone.

Seeing her daughter disappearing into thin air, Samantha felt a strange mixture of excitement and anxiety. It relieved her that everything so far had run smoothly, without the slightest sign of the instability in the council, yet the normal anxiety she had felt over her daughter's Evoluventus was without doubt present. It even materialized some, to actually see her inexperienced daughter popping off to the very much magical world she now was travelling through. But not letting her think of it any further, Endora appeared, with a disappointed expression on her face, at seeing her daughter look so anxious. "Don't tell me you're still worrying?"

"Weeell…" Samantha answered, not knowing what else to say.

"If nothing strange has happened by now, nothing probably will," Endora simply said.

"Oh it's not that I'm worried about…," Samantha said honestly.

"You mean you're still worrying Tabitha won't pass the judgement with flying colours?" Endora said upset with the even thought that Samantha still could be worrying that Tabitha 'wasn't ready'.

Not really hearing her mother's accusing tone, Samantha worriedly went on, more to herself than her mother, "she's so young and inexperienced…. and what if she didn't understood what I meant earlier…"

"Samantha… really!" Endora said, disappointed in her daughter. "There is nothing to worry about, and you of all should know that!"

"But…" Samantha started, sounding even more anxious, not at all being convinced.

Hearing the ongoing fret, Endora started loosing her patient, "Oh, Samantha, stop being such a worrywart! I hardly recognize you."

Samantha snorted offended, although knowing her mother was probably right. She almost didn't recognize herself anymore, but she had worried for so long she almost didn't notice. And now she seemed to worry partly just because of old habit, because as she figured last night, Tabitha was more ready than she had thought. So Samantha shouldn't need to worry as much.

"Now…" Endora instead said with a changed tone of voice, really wanting to get her daughter in a happier mood, "isn't this exciting?"

Actually letting herself get caught up by the excitement Samantha answered with a tentatively but sincere smile, "yes it is."

But as she looked around the area, she instead started getting uneasy. Even if it for Tabitha would feel like a very, very long journey, the time in this world would pass by quickly and that no one but her mother and herself was there yet, was indeed a bit distressing.

"Mother? Where is everyone?" she wondered nervously. "Have you talked to daddy? And the aunts? Will they be here?"

Endora sighed tiredly, hearing that her daughter yet again was getting worked up over nothing, but with a slight understanding that Samantha indeed had the right to be a bit edgy, she let it be. After all, she had been so herself at Samantha's Evoluventus, but she wouldn't dream of telling her daughter that. "Of course I have told them," Endora instead said sounding a bit annoyed that Samantha thought she hadn't. "And they'll all be here," she then continued self confident.

And just as Endora had said, people were soon beginning to pop in. Not only was it family and friends, but some how it seemed as if people without any connection to them whatsoever started appearing.

And as the premise was getting more and more crowded, Endora looked around distressingly. "I wonder…" she started distraughtly, sounding a bit too troubled as far as Samantha was concerned.

"You wonder what?" Samantha asked uneasily, also noticing the increasing crowd, sensing something wasn't quite right.

"Maybe the word have got around that the council is in subversion and people have come to see what it's all about…"

"Oh my stars!" Samantha cried anxiously, starting to feel as if her earlier worries hadn't been in vain after all, as well as starting to get angry at the people crashing in on this special family event. "But they have no right barging in on Tabitha's Evoluventus!"

Being too caught up wondering and worrying about it herself, Endora didn't really take any notice to Samantha, and instead she said deep in thoughts, "there is something not right going on here…"

But not letting any of them think of it any further the dark and loud voice of a council member echoed through the air, and they both turned towards the sound, nervous of what was to come.

"We have noticed that many have chosen to attend this Evoluventus. Whether this is because of the…the changes the council have experienced lately or because of the affect it will have on this certain Evoluventus, we do not know. But no matter reason, it was probably a very wise decision of you to attend."

Hearing that declaration Samantha swallowed hard. Then it would affect the Evoluventus, she anxiously thought. Too nervous to being able to stand still, she practically jumped up and down, waiting eagerly for the council to go on and explain. But as no explanation came, she looked questioning at her mother. Endora looked just as puzzled herself and shrugged her shoulders, before they both turned back to from the voice came from, when it although did continue talking. But to Samantha's and Endora's big bewilderment it did not explain what was going on. Instead it continued speaking of Tabitha's Evoluventus in the normal way, without any connection to its previous statement.

"Tabitha is now reaching the end of her journey and will soon be the fully-fledged witch she is ready to become. For some time we have now studied Tabitha and the Elements of Magic have analyzed her and made an evaluation, which will be presented shortly. And as we speak Tabitha will not only be fully equipped to develop as the witch she choose, but she will also be stationed at her mission that she already responsibly has accepted."

"Mission? What mission?" Samantha wondered confused and turned to her mother, afraid that this was something caused by the changes.

"Isn't it marvellous?" Endora whispered back excitedly, obviously not hearing Samantha's bewilderment. "Tabitha getting a mission..."

"What mission?" Samantha asked again, impatiently wanting to know what this was about. "I don't understand..."

"Oh please tell my you haven't forgot about the missions?" Endora looked sternly at her daughter, annoyed of her daughter's forgetfulness of the magical world's doings that seemed to do nothing but decrease.

"But I didn't have a mission did I?" Samantha wondered, not at all satisfied with her mother's answer.

"No," Endora answered a bit calmer and as the council started talking again, she added in a whisper, "only some witches get one, as a result of the Evoluventus analyze, and it is a great honour. Depending on what it is of course..."

Although not satisfied with that explanation either, Samantha was too eager to hear what the council would have to say, as also she turned back to the council.

"But before we continue…," the voice rumbled, sounding even graver than earlier, "…the council wishes to acknowledge that the result of this certain Evoluventus is of great importance to our world. That is why it is good that so many of you have chosen to attend this important, dare I say historic, moment that you will all witness today. Although, we are aware that depending on the result there may be some opposition, but if that is so we hope that everyone at least will try to keep calm."

Hearing this Samantha felt a lump in her throat, suddenly feeling not only sick of worry but also very much confused. Now there was no longer anything that could give her any confidence that her worries hadn't been in vain, because now it sounded as anything that could go wrong would.

The council continued: "Why this Evoluventus is special to us all is of course of the fact that Tabitha is the first species of mortal blood ever to have been able to pass these walls. And it is no doubt that that has caused a great deal of chaos and turbulence. Furthermore it has stirred a lot of confusion and disagreement in the Council, even causing many members to resign, making it most difficult to assemble the many opinions and implement this Evoluventus."

Hearing that they brought up Tabitha's mortal blood, Samantha froze stiff of agonize, as the knowledge that this could indeed end badly, started creeping up on her.

"As we all know, Evoluventus is a ceremony for witches and warlocks only, and even if this Evoluventus had to proceed as any other, since Tabitha is a witch after all, the Council saw that a judgement of a half-blood obviously would not be without consequences..."

"They wouldn't!" Samantha now cried desperately, getting out of her previous blackout. "They couldn't! Could they?" She turned to her mother in despair, but seeing her own mother pale of worry herself, Samantha then hysterically continued, "We got to do something. We have to get Tabitha away from these narrow-minded fools!"

Hearing her daughter's hysteria Endora regained her own senses and hissed silently at her, "Samantha! Be careful! They'll hear you!" But for once actually agreeing with her daughter's criticism of the council, she continued more cooperative yet realistic, "but there is nothing we can do. You know the power of the council is too great for us to even budge."

Just as Samantha was about to answer, the voice of the council rumbled yet again through the premises. "However…," it said with a distinct sound of defeat, "as you all know it is not the Council that analyze the young witch and it is also not the Council who decide the judgement of the witch. It is the Elements of Magic, the supreme power of all." The voice went quite for a second. "And even if it may come as a shock for most of you, as it first did to the council, the Elements of Magic saw greatness in Tabitha and as her mission they gave her a position as an intern at the Witches Council..."

Samantha just stared wide-eyed at the place where the voice came from, as her previous anger vanished. "Oh my goodness!" she instinctively called out, not believing here ears. Apparently couldn't anyone else for that matter, as the crowd went uproars.

"Oh my goodness!" Samantha called out again, as her previous worried expression turned into an overly-happy one, before she turned excitedly to her mother. "Did you hear that? Tabitha - a council member!"

Seeing Endora looking just as enthusiastic as Samantha felt, Samantha turned back to the council, as if to make sure she had heard correctly or that she wasn't dreaming.

"Silence!" the council then roared, "Silence!" and with that the crowd went quiet as the voice continued, "it is apprehended that this is indeed overwhelming news and that some, or most of you, oppose to this decision. That is understandable, though very unfortunate as this is the decision and the way it is."

Letting it all sink in Samantha smiled contently, extremely proud and happy.

As the crowd yet again had started wildly discussions it yet again had to be silenced by the great voice.

But as it began speaking it was obvious it did not any longer addressed the crowd, but Tabitha herself. "So, if Tabitha will take her place at her new position at the Witches Council the Element's of Magic will state its grounds on which Tabitha has been elected."

The voice now fell completely silent and so did the crowd as a big area in the air started flickering in bright colours. Samantha and Endora, both still smiling with their whole faces, looked up at the flickering, excitedly wondering what would come next.

Their wonders were soon answered as the flickering ceased and the big contours of Tabitha's face materialized in the air.

Taken aback by the overwhelming picture Samantha looked with big eyes at her daughter's face, suddenly realizing that this indeed was bigger than she even imagined. To be elected in the Witches Council was close to being impossible and to now actually see her young daughter in such a high institution was beyond her wildest dreams, and she didn't seem to being able to stop gawking.

As Tabitha was all positioned a rumbling voice started talking yet again, although now it was no longer the council's voice but a voice representing the Element of Magic. "Ever since you was a baby and your powers were tested by a coven it has been known that you had strong powers with great potential. The Elements of Magic have ever since studied you with great curiosity of how you would develop under such unusual circumstances which you have been brought up. And now, after the thoroughly examination and analyze, we can with certainty establish that your strength and potential have not only remained, but also increased somewhat. There is no denying that The Element of Magic worried that the mortal impact on you would be destructive to your powers or even fatal, but to now see that despite the big mortal influence you have suffered throughout your life, your powers have developed well, which is very good to see. Although it **is** very unfortunate that you haven't practised your magic as much as a witch of your age should, nonetheless as much as a future member of the Witches Council should, but the potential within you is still greater than your actual practical skills. With such qualifications no one can deny that you, despite your mortal heritage, are as fully-developed witch as any."

There was a small break, with a few (mostly relatives) cheering in the premise, before the voice kept going on, "What the Element of Magic also has noticed in you, is very prosperous qualities. While most young witches and warlocks takes magic for granted you seem to understand the true meaning of it and instead of misusing it you use it wisely. You embrace the magic and treasure it. As not many before you have seen, you see the real power of not only the Magical World but of your own magical skills, which makes you even more powerful yourself. Magic is more than just spells and hexes, it's about knowledge and you've seen these possibilities. These qualities may be unseen by you or others around you, especially since we lately have witnessed a somewhat troubled period in your life, but the Element of Magic have seen it for a very long time. And the fact that the Element of Magic sees these qualities in your still early age, is very pleasant to see. That is why we have great plans for you and it starts with getting an internship as a Council Member. But this puts you under a lot of pressure. The fact that you have spent your still young life in the mortal world not really developing you witchcraft as we would hope for in a future council member, means that you have to practise. And you have to put a lot of effort into it. We will give you a probationary seat in the council and you will have to work hard to keep it. It will be tough, but we will have faith in you." There was a quiet moment before the Voice said its final words, "And with that we want to congratulate you of your completed Evoluventus and welcome you into the Witches Council."

With those final words the audience cheered somewhat stronger than last time. But one that cheered louder and more excitedly than anyone was Samantha. With happiness and pride written all over her, she couldn't stop cheer and applaud. This was certainly one of the happiest moments in her life. Not only was she extremely happy and proud for her daughter to achieve such a great position as well as getting such a good judgement of the supreme power, but it also felt as if this acknowledgement said that the council, or the Element of Magic, finally had accepted her family of mixed blood. She had over the year heard a great deal of complains from the council and even if they, despite their many efforts to annul her and Darrin's marriage, often did overlook her decision of living in a mortal world, she never thought she would see a day like this.

But as the attention went to Tabitha, who smiled happily of the acknowledgement, began to speak, the cheering went quiet. "As I've grown up I haven't known much of the Magical World, or things like Evoluventus, Zamboas, Witches Council or the Element of Magic. By living in a mortal world it has been off limits to me. I have known of the Magical World's existence and longed to experience it but I have never really practised magic actively. That is why this comes as an extreme shock to me. And I can't even see why it is happening. Still, I am very happy it has happened. And with everything I've learned and experienced during my journey at the Evoluventus today, I also feel much more confident that I indeed will treasure not only this great opportunity as an intern in the Council, but also my magical heritage and my ability to become a fully-fledged witch. That is why I am extremely grateful of the Element of Magic that has given me this chance. And I will do my very best to do as great job as I possibly can. Thank you!"

As the face of Tabitha vanished and cheers began filling the room Samantha just stood silently and looked up at where Tabitha's face had been, as her eyes started watering of proud and joy. This was indeed too good to be true. But as the people started moving around to greet friends and family in the awaiting of Tabitha to join them, Samantha got brought back to memory, especially with them many people who came to congratulate even her of Tabitha's accomplishments.


	14. Chapter 14

After Tabitha's speech she got the final information of her mission and some further basic info about the magical world from some Council members "behind stage", but as she was fully informed she was ready to go out to meet her family.

It wasn't until she left the Council that it suddenly hit her of what had happened and what she had experienced this day. So it was with shaky legs and a rapid heart beat she walked over to the crowd. Not really seeing clearly, she didn't even notice when her grandparents suddenly were standing before her.

"Tabitha, my precious," Maurice chanted proudly obviously very much moved. "I am very proud of you and you'll make a fine council member."

"Thank you, grandpapa. I'll do my best." Tabitha hugged her grandfather, now being brought back to reality, before she turned to Endora. And as she for the first time could see a tear rolling down her grandmother's cheek, she suddenly understood how important this was, not only for her, but also for her family, maybe especially for her grandmother. Being too moved to speak, Endora just hugged her tight, letting Tabitha know this was one of the happiest moments she'd ever had gone through.

But just as the sentimental atmosphere was getting a bit too sentimental Serena appeared and broke the tension. She smiled broadly at seeing Tabitha and said in a staged voice, "Tabitha, darling…" She made a theatrical gesture with her arm, "Welcome to the world of possibilities!" She smiled even broader and gave her a hug before Tabitha kept moving through the crowd looking for her mother.

As Tabitha got a couple of congratulations and proves of approval from both relatives she knew and from relatives and other people she'd never ever seen before, she moved through the crowd looking for her mother.

And then Samantha stood before her, smiling proudly. Tabitha had actually been a bit nervous meeting her mother, since she figured she wouldn't be too pleased that Tabitha so eagerly had accepted her magical mission and that she now would have to practice magic. But when seeing that her mother smiled at her, Tabitha couldn't stop herself from smiling widely as well. Not only was she relived that her mother didn't seemed disappointed, but that she actually seemed happy for her.

"Oh Tabitha…," Samantha cried out of happiness and hugged her tight. "I'm so proud of you."

"You are?" Tabitha asked a bit tentatively as they parted.

Even if Samantha couldn't deny that she wasn't surprised that Tabitha could doubt it,

it did saddened her that she had made it go so far that her daughter would think so little of her.

"Of course I am proud of you. I've never been prouder," She looked back at her daughter, really hoping she didn't doubt anymore. "But I'm sorry I've led you to believe I wouldn't," she then added regretfully.

Even if what her mother was saying sounded really good, and that Tabitha had been longing to hear it for a long time, Tabitha had hard to believe it.

"But it's so magical…" she started confused. Even if she had noticed her mother being different this whole day from what Tabitha was used to and not at all that reluctant to magic and witchcraft, Tabitha mostly just felt confused of it. "And you've never wanted me to use my witchcraft…"

Samantha sighed, perfectly understanding how confused Tabitha must be. "That is what I wanted to talk to you about earlier." She paused for awhile not knowing how to go on, as she led Tabitha away from some of the crowd. "Remember I said earlier that I think both I and your father understand why you've been so troubled lately?"

"Uhuh...," Tabitha just mumbled, wondering where this would lead.

"Well, the thing is that I've talked to your aunty Serena and she's told me everything."

"Oh…," was the only thing Tabitha this time managed to say, when hearing that the escapades with Serena, the escapades she so hard had tried to cover up, now was out in the open. But even if she felt the knots in her stomach tighten when realizing her mother knew that she had gone behind her parents back, she somehow felt there was no need to be nervous anymore. Because her mother looked nowhere near angry or disappointed, quite the opposite. Maybe it actually meant that her mother understood and maybe this discussion was of even greater importance than Tabitha first thought.

"This may sound foolish to you," Samantha went on. "But neither your father nor I had any idea you felt like this. It came as a complete chock to both of us." She shook her head shamefully, again thinking how stupid she'd been to have been able to misinterpret the whole thing, "I myself can't even understand how we didn't see it…"

Tabitha just looked wide-eyed at her mother, starting to realize how things hanged together. This discussion was indeed of greater importance than she'd imagined. Even if she still felt a bit confused over her mother's declaration, she did get the distinct feeling that her mother at least wanted to understand. And at this moment, that meant the world to Tabitha.

Because it did feel as she saw things in a different way now and she did realize that her parents support actually was important to her. Not only had Tabitha's gotten a whole new perspective on things after everything she'd been through this day, but also, and maybe most importantly, it felt as if she during these last couple of days really started figuring out things about herself and her troubled mind. And with that it felt as if she for the first time really could be able to try and sort it out, and to have her parents behind her would probably make it a whole lot easier.

Samantha studied her daughter for awhile, wondering what she was thinking. But as the sound of the crowd got unavoidable she instead looked a bit annoyed at the crowded premise. She had hoped that people would start to dissolve by now, but seeing it was just as crowded as before, Samantha figured it instead would be best for Tabitha and her to go somewhere else and have a more private conversation. "We have a couple of hours until the ceremony dinner…," she then started and looked at Tabitha, "so what do you say if we pop off somewhere less crowded and we'll try to sort things out and you can tell me about you Evoluventus-journey later?"

Feeling as if she wanted nothing more than to sort out all of this confusion and hopefully maybe also be able to get her mother's support, she nodded sincerely. "I'd like that very much," she said before they popped off to a nice little isolated cloud.

**

* * *

**

They made themselves comfortable in a cosy little sofa-cloud, both pleased that they would have a long lost needed talk.

Not really knowing where to start, Samantha took a deep breath, before she decided she might as well start from the beginning, "When you were little, and first started developing witchcraft, it was so hard hiding it from the mortal world. You twitched your little nose and made things fly around the house; made character from fairytales come alive; making your dad or me popping to you whenever you wished for us and all kind of things. Sometimes you really could drive us crazy...," Samantha paused for awhile remembering the time that now felt so long ago. "We tried to explain that you had to control yourself, but you were just too little to understand. To you it was just something that came naturally and you couldn't understand there were times you just couldn't use your powers. So to make you stop using witchcraft around mortals we had to force you not to use your witchcraft all together. But even if it broke my heart every time I had to tell you not to use your powers, I knew I had to. And by time you just stopped using your powers. Not thinking of it too much we just figured you kind of outgrown it or something…" Samantha sighed, not believing how stupid she had been, "and it wasn't until the other day, after I listened to what you said and later what Serena told me, that I realized you hadn't outgrown it at all. You had only shut it out. And that's why you've been so depressed…" She looked straight at her daughter, "isn't that right?"

Tabitha squirmed. Even though she knew her mother was right, Tabitha somehow felt uncomfortable being in the focus, "Well yeah… I guess so…"

Samantha looked at her daughter in despair feeling helpless, knowing that she might have been able to help Tabitha if she only knew. "Why didn't you tell me Tabitha?"

Tabitha squirmed again, "I don't know…I guess I didn't quite know myself what the problem was…"

Samantha looked puzzled at her daughter, urging her to go on.

"I _have_ been feeling depressed and sad, but I didn't know why… Everything just felt so hopeless and meaningless and somehow it felt as if I didn't belong; not in school, not with my friends, not at home, not anywhere. But then, when I started hanging out with Serena in Cosmos I suddenly started feeling happy again..." She paused not really being too sure whether to go on. But when seeing her mother looking back at her with interest, she hesitantly continued, "and I started realizing what was missing… and that it felt as if I didn't belong because I _was_ different… "

"Oh Tabitha…" Samantha cried heartbroken, not being able to stop blaming herself for all the trouble she had caused her own daughter, as she hugged her tight. "I'm sorry we've put you through all this. We never meant to hurt you…" she said silently while stroking her hair tenderly.

"I know…" Tabitha whispered, returning the embrace. "And I'm sorry too…for letting it all out on you guys…"

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Samantha reassuringly said. She let go of the embrace and looked at her daughter wanting to be sure Tabitha realized that she really did not have anything to regret. When seeing she indeed understood Samantha instead smiled and wiped away a tear from her cheek, "And I want you to know that from now on things will change. Just because I decided to give up my powers and live in a mortal world, I, or your father, have no right asking you and Adam to do the same. You're a witch and we'll have to accept that you want to live like one. We won't deprive you from your magical heritage anymore or try to make you into someone you're not."

Tabitha smiled and then asked a bit hesitantly, "does that mean I'm allowed to use my witchcraft?"

Samantha smiled. "Yes," she said and nodded.

Even if it might had been obvious, Tabitha didn't really realized what her mother was telling her until now, and even now she couldn't really believe it. She hugged her mother tight again, suddenly feeling happier than in a very long time. "Thanks mother."

Samantha smiled happily, seeing the excitement in her daughter's eyes, but then she turned more serious. Even though she knew she had done the right decision and that it was a relief to see Tabitha not only forgiving Samantha, but also being blissfully happy, she still felt a bit concerned that Tabitha didn't really understand the seriousness of being a witch in a mortal world. "But Tabitha, you must understand that you will have to restrain your powers. I can understand that you may want to live in cosmos in the future but until you turn eighteen you will have to stay with your father and me in the mortal world. And even if we'll agree that you may use your witchcraft every now and then, there are limits on when you can use your witchcraft and when you can't. You will have to be very careful."

"I know that..." Tabitha said, feeling a bit surprised that her mother thought she didn't.

"And even if your father will accept that you want to use your witchcraft, you can't go on using your witchcraft with him around whenever you want," Samantha went on, sensing Tabitha didn't quite understood what she was meant.

Tabitha's previous carefree expression now turned into a puzzled one. "What do you mean?"

"Well you know how I've always told you that mortals aren't ready for us, and that they never will be?"

"Yeah…" Tabitha nodded, not really knowing what her mother was getting at. Her father was a mortal and he'd managed to live through a whole lot of witchcraft.

"You see, it is very hard to both understand and accept magic for mortals. Neither their physiques nor psyches are built to understand the different world we are from, nor would they stay insane if they tried. Your father has accepted a lot, but just as he can't take away the witchcraft from us, we can't take away the mortality from him." She paused and looked straight at Tabitha, "as any other mortal he can't take too much witchcraft. And that is why you have to be cautious and restricted with your powers."

Not really seeing it that way before, Tabitha suddenly started understanding things from her father's point of view and that she still had to be as much mortal as she could with her father. She could even _almost_ understand why her mother didn't use her witchcraft. She looked at her mother acquiescingly and nodded.

Samantha smiled seeing that Tabitha seemed to understand and that she would take her responsibility. But wanting to clear something more out, she continued.

"And it's not only in the mortal world you will have to be careful. The magical world demands you to be careful as well, because the magical world can often be a dangerous place."

Tabitha looked again puzzled at her mother, once more not really understanding what she meant.

Samantha continued, "Even if we're 'good' witches, there is a lot of evil in the magical world and a lot of witches and warlocks that will misuse their powers. You will have to be careful not to get in their way. And also there are limits and restrictions on what you can do yourself with your own powers because if you use your powers wrongly you can get in great danger. As you by now know, you were just a moment ago even too young to even perform certain witchcraft, like time-travelling, and that was to save you from getting hurt."

Tabitha nodded, just now realizing why Serena had been so secretive about time-travelling the other day.

"But now, after the Evoluventus you are able to do anything, and that is why it's really important you'll understand the meaning of all this."

Seeing the overwhelming expression on her daughter's face, Samantha smiled reassuringly, "I know that together with everything that's happened today all this might be a bit too much to grasp, but I think things will feel a bit clearer after you'll get to think of it in peace and quiet."

Tabitha nodded, thinking her mother was probably right. And even though Tabitha did understand the seriousness with all this and that she had to be restricted with her powers, it couldn't lower the extreme happiness and relief she felt after not only her Evoluventus and mission, but mostly that her parents accepted her as a witch. Dreamily she thought of the many possibilities she would get and the many doors that would open.

Seeing her daughter drifting away in thoughts with a wide smile on her lips, Samantha looked at her curiously, wondering what she thought about all of this, "What are you thinking?"

Tabitha looked at her mother, feeling a bit hesitant to tell her, basically for two reasons. First it was the fact that Tabitha unfortunately over the years had grown uncomfortable telling her mother things, despite the fact they had just shared a rather deep conversation just now. And secondly Tabitha was concerned her mother did not want to hear Tabitha talk too much about magic and witchcraft despite that she had told her she allowed Tabitha to use her witchcraft. "Nothing…" Tabitha simply said looking down on her hands in her lap.

Noticing her daughter sounding and acting a bit too much like her old depressed self, Samantha felt a rising worry that the reason to Tabitha's depression lay deeper than what they had talked about. "Tabitha? Please tell me."

Tabitha looked up at her pleading mother, realizing she really had to start telling her mother things if she wanted things to change from her previous misery. "Well…" she started uncertainly. "I just thought how extraordinary it will be…I know you've left the magical world, but I can't wait to see what's out there. Especially after everything the Evoluventus taught me about magic and the magical world."

She looked carefully at her mother, feeling a bit anxious of what she might see in her mother's eyes. But when seeing her mother smiling back at her, she felt relieved and smiled as well.

"I'm happy you feel that way, I really do," Samantha said honestly. Even if she had worked for years to try and raise Tabitha as a mortal, Samantha couldn't deny she felt happy that Tabitha now would embrace the world Samantha was from. Because despite what people might think Samantha did love the magic world and was proud being a witch.

Although, she couldn't help that she felt a bit anxious that Tabitha might appreciate the magical life a bit _too_ much. Maybe her obvious interest in magic would not only make her live more like a witch but maybe it would make her loose interest in the world that she didn't only had been brought up in, but the world she partly belonged to. Maybe it would make her turn her back to her mortal heritage.

"But Tabitha, you must remember that you're not only a witch," Samantha said, looking straight into her daughters eyes, really not wanting her to loose track of her other side. "You're half mortal and I really hope you won't forget that."

Even though she couldn't think that her mother actually though she'd forget about half of her heritage, the seriousness in her mother's voice made her realize that she did indeed worry about that. "Of course I won't forget that…" she just said, not really knowing what else to say.

Not really being convinced, Samantha continued, "I now it can be hard to not use your witchcraft whenever you want something, and I can't even deny it can be handy at times to use witchcraft even for those little things, when put in a messy situation or when you felt tired or dim, but you _are_ half mortal…"

"Mom…" Tabitha then interrupted. "I won't neglect what's mortal. I don't even mind doing things the mortal way," she said convincingly, never even having considered giving up everything mortal. "I even like walking instead of popping and using my arms instead of twitching. With some things there is even no way I would trade the mortal way for the magical. Like with my music. I love practising my guitar playing, and to come up with songs the mortal way. It's fulfilling somehow. I wouldn't even dream of doing that with witchcraft. It would spoil all the fun."

Samantha smiled hearing that Tabitha did seem to appreciate mortal ways and that she didn't have to worry Tabitha would turn completely magical.

"No, it's the possibilities of the magical world I want," Tabitha continued visionary, "to travel through time and space. To find truths and gain knowledge…Just think how much actual truth I will be able to learn, things I never could learn in the mortal world..."

Samantha listened carefully, actually impressed of how mature her daughter seemed and how smart she was.

"But Tabitha…," she then started anyway, wanting to clarify one final thing. "You know even if the magical world can offer you endlessly of possibilities and it can provide you with an enormous amount of knowledge, doesn't mean the knowledge you learn in the mortal world is wasted. It's just different."

"I know," Tabitha said actually feeling lucky being half-blood. "And that's what so good. I get the best of both worlds." Tabitha looked at her mother, smiling widely, finally thinking she had convinced her mother that she had nothing to be worried about.

Samantha smiled, not really understanding how she could have such a smart daughter. What she did understand though was why the Element of Magic wanted Tabitha in Council, because Samantha now realized what they had been talking about earlier. "You're a very smart girl Tabitha…," she then said proudly. "It's no wonder they wanted you in the council."

Tabitha smiled shyly, but happily, hearing her mother's high praise.

They both drifted away in thoughts, both feeling as they indeed had managed to sort out a whole bunch of things and that things would indeed be better in the future.

After awhile though, Tabitha tentatively looked at her mother having another thing she wanted to talk about. "You know how I said it felt as if I don't belong in school with my friends?"

Samantha nodded.

"Well…" Tabitha started, wondering for a second how to go on. "Don't you feel that you're your too different when you're with mortals, as if you don't belong? Like with Louise, don't you feel as if you're dishonest to her, when you have these huge secrets?"

Knowing exactly what Tabitha meant, Samantha often enough being frustrated herself to not being able to tell her friends, thought for a second before she went on, "Well, yes, I guess I used to, but somehow I've managed to overcome it." She paused for awhile, not really knowing how to explain. "I know it can be hard to not be able to tell your friends that you're a witch, but it's just something you'll have to get around and try to accept. Because I know that it's no good going around blaming yourself for being dishonest. That way you're only destroying for both your friends and yourself." Samantha sighed hopelessly, not knowing what else to say. "I'm afraid that's the only advice I can give you…," she then said truthfully, but when seeing that Tabitha didn't seemed satisfied with the answer, she then tried a different approach. "And sure, you might be a bit different, but like in all friendships there are differences. Being a witch will be yours, but it doesn't mean you won't have anything in common with them either."

"Yeah, I guess so…," Tabitha said a bit gloomy, even if she knew her mother was probably right.

"And whenever there are something you want to talk about that you can't talk with your friends, you know both I and your father are always here, or Serena for that matter." Even if it did feel a bit strange that Tabitha seemed to prefer to confide in Serena, Samantha knew she should be happy that Serena had been, and most probably would be, there for Tabitha. "I understand that you may not want to talk to me about all things, and that is why I'm really glad that you've find a friend in Serena. Although, I want you to know that if you ever want to talk to me, about anything, I'm always here for you."

Tabitha smiled, hoping she really would talk to her mother more in the future, "I know." After all they were both witches living in a mortal world. So who could understand her better than her own mother?

Feeling convinced that she indeed could talk to her mother about anything she suddenly felt a strong urge of asking something she had wondered about for a long time.

"Mom?" Tabitha looked tentatively at her mother. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart."

Tabitha lingered for awhile, afraid that her mother would take this the wrong way, but as her curiousness took overhand she asked, "Why did you give up your powers in the first place? Don't you at all feel as if you get deprived from whom you are?"

Samantha smiled, "no. No, I don't feel as if I get deprived. But in contrast to you, I did choose not to use any witchcraft on my own free will." Samantha smiled for herself as she remembered a time many years ago when she first agreed to not use her powers anymore.

"When I first met your father, he was the most wonderful person - mortal or magical – I had ever met. But to be with a mortal was so different to me; I don't even believe I've ever had been friend with a mortal before. So at first I tried to convince myself that we were too different and that it wouldn't work. But then I realized I didn't mind it. I didn't mind it at all." She smiled for herself of the memory. "Oh we were so much in love…," she then added dreamily almost blushing over how blissfully happy she had been being newly in love. She let out a small giggle remembering the good, old times and then looked at her daughter, knowing this probably just sounded foolish to her, "you'll understand what I mean when you're older and once you've met someone special…"

Tabitha frowned embarrassed, not really being able to picture that at all, but then looked eagerly at her mother to continue.

"Well…," she started, sighing matter-of-factly and went on, "…and then I just knew I would do anything to be with him as much as I possibly could. So…I agreed on no witchcraft."

Tabitha kept on listened interested at her mother's story of her parents past, but still not understanding how one could give up such a big part of oneself, Tabitha was puzzled. "I don't think I could ever do something like that…"

Samantha smiled, knowing she thought that exact thing when she was younger, a time when she hadn't experienced the strange power of love. "I used to think so as well, but that was before I met your father. And now I've realized that it actually wasn't that big sacrifice to make. All my life I had been able to twitch up everything I wanted and pop wherever I wanted to go, and to always get what you want really makes you appreciate life less. I fully started appreciating life after I met your father, and even more so after I got you and Adam. And for the three of you I could do every sacrifice in the world."

Not knowing too much about life in her still young years, Tabitha was fascinated by her mother's acknowledgement, but still she had very hard to believe that she would ever think like that.

"So you never ever felt as if you've turned your back on your magical heritage?" Tabitha looked curiously at her mother, still not really understanding how she could have given everything up to live as a suburbia housewife.

Samantha just smiled. "I've been living for a witch for hundreds of years, and I will live as a witch for hundreds of years to come. Now I just want to live as a mortal… for as long as I have your father beside me…"

Tabitha did not only hear the sadness in her last words, but also did she notice her mother getting a sad expression in her face. And just as her mother Tabitha also felt the sadness creeping up on her, as it always did as soon as she thought that her father and maybe even her brother would not be there throughout her long life. But obviously not wanting to think about it Samantha quickly tried to get them on brighter moods and said jokingly, "But just because I try living as a mortal, you know how I never can seem to stop use my powers every now and then anyway..." She sighed and smiled, actually feeling a sudden strong connection between the two of them, "You know how hard it is to stop something that only comes naturally…"

Tabitha smiled, feeling as if her problems indeed would clear out, one way or another, and that her relation to her mother could become as it should be.

"Now what do you say if we pop back home before the ceremony dinner to see if Adam and your father is awake?" Samantha then suggested after awhile.

Tabitha smiled. She'd liked that very much.

And with a flash of a moment the two witches went back to the mortal world.

THE END

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I hope you all liked it!

And whatever comments you may have, I'm more than happy to hear them!


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